


Brothers All

by Grubkiller19



Series: Rise of the Empire [4]
Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Rescue Missions, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-03
Updated: 2019-03-03
Packaged: 2019-11-08 20:12:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 32,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17987786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grubkiller19/pseuds/Grubkiller19
Summary: A MASS ATTACK! In the third year of the brutal and terrifying Clone Wars, the Separatist launch a massive invasion on the planet Anexes. With it's massive naval yards, the Republic cannot afford to lose this vital system. But even with the Jedi's leadership and power, they begin to lose ground. An elite unit is deployed to help turn the tide and give their lives, if need be.





	1. Welcome to Anexes

**Author's Note:**

> Have no fear, Grubkiller is here.
> 
> This story is the fourth part of my AO3 series, 'Rise of the Empire'.
> 
> It's based off of the Bad Batch arc from Clone Wars. But I made one critical change that you should all notice.
> 
> Anyway happy reading, and feel free to leave your thoughts down in the review section.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

* * *

_The Battle for Anaxes! The home of the Republic shipyards is under attack from Admiral Trench's Separatist forces. Jedi Generals Mace Windu, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker lead a two-pronged attack on the ground and in the air. But after weeks of heated battle and mounting losses, the Republic's grip on Anaxes begins to slip away._

* * *

_Anaxes, Republic fortress world, Axum_ _system, Core regions_.

Anexes.

A world covered in canyons and strange red vegetation.

To most people, this planet may seem unimportant and barren. But they, like most people, underestimate its true value. Anexes is actually a Republic fortress world, and is the nerve center for the Republic Navy's shipbuilding and resupply hub. It was also right on the doorstep of Coruscant, the Republic capital.

That's why the Separatist fleet was throwing everything they had at the planet to take control of it. But in return, the Republic was throwing everything it could back at the Separatist Navy, because if they lose this planet, then the Republic Navy's thinning numbers won't be replenished, and the CIS will have nothing standing between them and ultimate victory.

In the skies and lower atmosphere, Republic and Separatist warships hammered away at each other at point-blank range. Burning chunks and slivers of metal were blown away from the hulls of warships on both sides, before they sank to the ground and slammed into the red forests and rock canyons below. Republic and CIS star fighters zoomed and zipped between the warships, trying to paint the other side's fighters with a fresh coat of plasma.

On the ground, Clone Troopers and Battle droids of all kinds tore at each other's throats for every last inch of land. It was a desperate fight for both sides. But for the Republic, it was even more desperate.

In the red forests, a Battalion of Clones, with white Phase-II armor that had maroon accents, were trying to punch through and take out the HQ for the CIS ground forces on the planet, which happened to be the Republic Navy's main ship-building hub. This was the Republic's only chance in weeks to take out this installation, but they failed to break through the outer defenses.

Now, they were desperately trying to hold the line against a never ending wave of Separatist droids. Super Battle Droids, Droidekas, Grapple droids, Jump-pack droids, flame droids. You name it, then it was probably somewhere in the mix. Behind them were AAT tanks, which were advancing with the Droids under the cover of Hyaena bombers and Vulture droids.

The Clones were holding a hastily dug-in trench line, which they defended with repeating blaster turrets, mortars, and a few tanks.

In the center, a dark skinned Jedi with a purple Lightsaber was expertly deflecting blaster bolts back at the droids, while around him, his troopers held their positions with both hands.

A clone commander, who wore a skirt-like Kamas around his waist and shoulder pauldrons over his clone armor, ran up to him.

"General Windu!" Commander Ponds shouted as he fired his DC-15a heavy blaster rifle at the advancing droids. "We can't hold this position much longer!"

Several explosion rocked the Republic lines, sending clones and occasional armored body parts flying in different directions.

Mace Windu spoke into his com-link.

"Skywalker. We can't hold this position indefinitely. Where is that air support?!"

* * *

In the skies above, Anakin Skywalker was leading Gold Squadron from the cockpit of his Jedi Star-fighter. They were trying to lead a bombing run on the CIS's defenses. Fighters from both sides were participating in a dance of death.

Puffs of red and black smoke appeared in the space around the Republic fighters.

"We're trying to get to you master. But this enemy fire is too thick," Anakin said as he banked his fighter from side to side in an effort to avoid the heavy flak.

_"Are you able to complete your bombing mission?"_ Windu asked.

Before Anakin could answer the question, he saw two Y-wing bombers each take a serious hit. One of them disintegrated immediately. But the other lost an engine and spun out of control. He could hear a frantic voice call out 'mayday mayday mayday' before the ship lost contact and slammed into the ground.

Anakin shook his head in disappointment.

"I don't think so master. I've lost several bombers already. At this rate, we won't have enough ordnance to destroy the enemy defenses," Anakin said.

Windu immediately responded.

" _Then call off the bombers! And then get down here. We're going to fall back, but we need you to provide close air support_ ".

Anakin thought about it.

"Very well master," Anakin said before he switched the channel to his air wings. "Shadow squadron, return to base. We are aborting mission".

"Copy that General," Broadside, the shadow squadron leader, acknowledged. "Sorry sir". Anakin then saw the squadron break off, and in that moment, a tight knot formed in his gut. Clones despised retreating. Much like him, the clones only knew one direction: forward.

"Next time Broadside. Alright Gold squadron, on me. We've got a new mission".

Anakin then banked left and down to the surface. His squadron followed close behind.

* * *

Back on the surface, Mace was continually deflecting blaster bolts back at the advancing droid army, while his troopers took cover and returned fire as best as they could.

"Sir, we can't hold on any longer!" Ponds shouted out.

Mace spoke into his com-link again as he continued to block laser bolts with his purple saber.

"Skywalker. Where is that air support?!"

Just as Windu asked this, the whine of several engines sounded out across the region as a yellow Jedi Star fighter and several Z95 Head-hunters swooped in and rained Hell upon the Droid Army.

Droids were cut down.

Tanks were blown up.

Vulture fighters were shot down, their flaming fuselages leaving a trail of smoke that always led to an explosion in the middle of the forest.

_"Right here master. You'd better get out of there fast. Another wave of Droid forces are advancing towards your position,"_ Anakin said over the comm.

Windu turned to Ponds.

"Commander. Order the retreat".

Ponds nodded.

"Alright you grunts! Pack up your crap. We. Are. Leaving!" Ponds called out.

Every trooper in the battalion, what was left of it, began to high tail it out of the forest and return to base.

As Mace marched back to the evac zone, he could see the heavy toll that the battle had left on the Clone Army.

He saw troopers that had missing limbs, blaster and shrapnel wounds, and bandages wrapped around different parts of their body. His Regiment had suffered 60% casualties in this battle since it began. The CIS had won this round.

_'How many more of these numbers can we sustain before this battle is over...'_ Windu thought _. '...Whether we win or lose'._

The Jedi Master couldn't answer that. All he could do was lead his men into battle and try to take care of them to the best of his ability.

But deep down ... he felt like he was failing.

* * *

_Fort Anaxes_.

At the base of a monstrous cliffside, the very center of the Republic's operation on Anaxes was buzzing with activity. Fort Anaxes had several power generators, a few landing strips, and several guard towers lined the perimeter, which were manned by snipers and repeating blaster turrets.

Heavy cannons were blasting away at unseen targets, and fighters were taking off and landing around the clock. They left fully loaded with fuel and ordnance, and then they came back completely empty. Or they came back with less fighters and more damage.

Clone Troopers were marching back and forth. They were either marching off to the front, or they were returning from it, some of them limping or being carried.

A trio of severally damaged Republic gunships were coming in for a hard landing. As they did, several small brick like viechles moved up to the landing gunships, and dropped off their crew, who ran to the gunships with stretchers. They carried any wounded trooper back to the base, which was inside a cave at the base of the cliffside, and at the back of the airfield.

Inside of the cave fortress, near the entrance, was a makeshift hanger bay, which was packed with fighters. In the rear of the hanger bay was a small CIC (combat information center). In it, Anakin Skywalker and Mace Windu were standing around a holotable, which had a holographic display of a large, dome-like structure. It was a very critical shipyard for the Republic, currently under the control of Admiral Trench's forces.

"The droids have overrun our main production facility. It won't be long before the Separatists take Anaxes, compromising our entire reserve fleet," Mace said.

Anakin looked at him, with concern written all over his face.

Without the reserve fleet, then the Republic's invasion of the outer rim would grind to a halt, and the Separatist fleet might even have a stepping to invade Coruscant and the rest of the Core region.

Before Anakin could say anything, he heard footsteps coming from his left. He turned to face the noise and saw that it was Commander Cody, his master's clone commander, and Captain Rex, his own clone commander. The two of them had been conversing over a holo-terminal moments ago, and now they were obviously here to share something concerning it.

"Pardon the interruption General," Cody said as the two clones walked up with their helmets in hand. "But Rex has a good theory on why we keep ... er ... losing".

The two Jedi Generals looked at them with renewed interest.

Windu extended his hand towards the terminal. "Please, Captain".

Cody stood aside to allow the veteran Clone captain to access the terminal. He pressed a few keys on the terminal to bring up the image he wanted. The image of the planet and the fleet battling over it was replaced with several charts with mathematical equations.

"Well, as you know, I've studied our battle lines and developed an algorithm, to counter all our tactical tendencies, with the hopes that we would shore up our weaknesses. But ever since this battle started, the Separatists have always been one step ahead of us. If I'm right, then Admiral Trench has my algorithm, and he's using it to predict our strategies". The Jedi were looking with interest, and concern as the captain revealed this startling revelation. "It's just ... I don't know how he got it. My data files are heavily encrypted".

The Jedi looked at each other. Mace spoke up. "Did anyone else know your work?"

"Well ... Fives did. But he's gone," Rex said, referring to an Arc trooper that he's known since the Rishi Base incident, who was killed when he had seemingly gone off the deep end, trying to uncover a 'conspiracy'. "There was one other trooper," Rex said softly, "Echo".

Anakin noticed it. He spoke next. "But we lost Echo at the Citadel".

"Yes Sir. I know. But I also know Echo, and he could never leave well enough alone. He used to re-check that algorithm everyday, just to cut the tension of battle. Kind of like a hobby. He might've had it on him when he died," Rex said.

Anakin looked at Windu.

"We have to consider what Rex is saying. It would explain the ease with which Trench has been able to defeat us," Anakin said.

Windu stroked his chin thoughtfully before he addressed the two clone officers.

"Skywalker and I will hold the line on Anaxes. I want you two to take a small squad of clones behind enemy lines to infiltrate the Separatist cyber center. If they have possession of the algorithm, then you'll find evidence of it there. Cody," Windu said, prompting Cody to snap to attention. "I'm putting you in charge".

"Rex, you're in on this one to," Anakin said.

"Thank you General," Rex said.

Cody stepped forward. "I ... have got the perfect squad for this operation. Delta Squad".

Anakin and Windu looked at each other with surprise written on their faces.

This battle just got a whole lot more interesting.

* * *

Cody and Rex were walking along the runway with 4 clones from their respective battalions. Waxer and Boil from the 212th, along with Jesse and Kix from the 501st, walked behind their clone officers.

"Ah, a few deluxe models ... coming to save us with their superior training," Kix monologued.

"Those deluxe models are coming here to help us. So show some respect trooper," Cody ordered.

"Yes Sir," Kix said.

"So Cody ... you seem to have experience with Delta Squad? Care to elaborate?" Rex asked.

Cody kept walking. But he was happy to share the story.

"Back when the Outer Rim Sieges began, General Kenobi and I were ordered to deploy to the planet Sarrish, a CIS fortress world. It was mostly isolated, but it protected a route that led to several Separatist industrial worlds, and the Seps were using it to launch hit-and-run strikes on our supply routes into the outer rim. So the 212th was sent in to take the planet. At first it was going well. We thought that we were going to take Sarrish. But then we suffered set back after set back. Loss after loss. What was going to be a quick and decisive win... turned into five weeks of Hell. So eventually ... we were forced to pull out of the system. But the Sep fleet had blockaded the planet, and our own fleet was scattered. So they had to rally up and punch a hole in the enemy blockade for our boys to get off the ground."

"Yeah, but there was a hyper-velocity cannon on the ground, keeping our boys in the Navy from getting too close," Boil said.

"Exactly. So we needed to take it out. General Kenobi gathered a team. Me, Waxer, Boil, and a few others. There was also a company of commandoes on the planet. They were apart of the Siege as well, and had suffered over 80% casualties. They were itching for some payback. So they paired our squad up with one of the surviving commando units," Cody said.

"Delta Squad," Jesse deduced.

"Exactly," Waxer confirmed.

They piped down to let Cody finish.

"As I was saying, we were ordered to take out the cannon. When we got there, we cleared it out. I've never seen a squad of clones maneuver and fight the way they did, individually or together. They tore through the Droid forces in a way that would've made Skywalker blush," Cody continued.

Rex and the others were listening with pure fascination.

Cody continued.

"So we took over the cannon and were about to destroy it. But the Deltas had a better idea. They sliced into the controls and had the cannon start targeting Separatist warships."

"Whoa!" Jesse said.

"No way!" Kix exclaimed.

"Oh yeah. They took out five warships, including the flagship. With the clanker fleet in disarray and several of their ships wiped out, we ordered the evacuation. We got almost everyone that was left out in one piece". When Cody finished, he looked back to see Rex, Jesse, and Kix looking at him with shock and dumbstruck looks on their faces.

"Wow!" Rex said.

Cody grinned. He then looked off into the distance to see a Nu-class shuttle flying towards them.

"That's them now," Cody said.

Everyone watched as the shuttle came in for a landing. Before it touched down, the wings folded up to allow the landing gear to deploy. When the hatch started opening, pressurized carbon shot out of the hatch, creating a smoky mist. When the ramp extended, 4 clones stepped through the carbon smoke. Each of the commandoes had secondary color patterns over their silver/gray armor: orange, green, maroon, and one with a mixture of black with yellow.

The commandoes started walking towards them.

The team of commandoes were now right in front of them. The orange one walked up to Cody.

"Deltas, good to see you again," Cody said as he shook their hands in greeting.

"Good to see you too commander," the orange clone said.

"Boys, this is the squad leader, Delta-38".

"Just call me 'Boss'," 38 said.

"You're late to the party, Deltas,' Boil joked.

"Yeah. Sorry we didn't come fast enough. We were putting down a Xenomorph infestation on Yalvik Prime," Boss said.

The black and yellow armored clone stepped up. "You guys ever seen a Xenomorph?" he asked.

"Uh ... no. Can't say I have," Jesse said.

"You're lucky. They come out of no where and swarm you. They'll stab you with their tails, stab you with their tongues, and if you try to take'em head on, you risk having your face melted off. Their blood is made of acid," Scorch said, recounting everything horrible about Xenomorphs, which is everything.

"This is Scorch. He's our demolitions expert. He may seem like he wants to blow up the whole galaxy, but if you want a crater instead of a bunker, he's your man," Boss said as Scorch nodded his head and gave a thumbs up.

Boss hooked his thumb over his shoulder at the green clone.

"That's Delta-40, AKA 'Fixer', my second-in-command, and the squad's computer, technology, and hacking expert. The quiet one over there is 'Sev'," Boss said, referring to the clone with maroon armor. He's not much of a conversationalist, but if you want to put a blaster bolt through a womp rat's ass at ten clicks, then you'll want him on you're side," Boss said.

"So commander, what kind of suicide mission do you have for us this time?" Sev asked.

"You're advisor'll brief us on the way," Cody said as a Gunship hovered next to them with the hatch opened.

With that, everyone piled onto the ship. Most of the troopers stood up, but Sev and Scorch decided to sit with their feet hanging over the edge.

The Gunship then took off and flew away from the base.

* * *

Over the vast rocky valleys and red treetops, the strike team's gunship continued to fly towards its objective: the Separatist cyber center. As the Gunship continued flying, the buzz and hum of the engine rolled over the landscape of Anaxes for miles in every direction.

The commandoes and regular troopers stood in awkward silence for the duration of the trip. It wasn't anything personal. The two usually didn't work together very often. But everyone understood that they were all on the same side, and that they were working towards something greater than each individual clone: Victory for the Republic.

Everyone in the crew-bay spread out. When there was enough room, Delta-38 threw a black disk on the ground. For a second, nothing happened. But then a blue light turned on in the center, before a hologram of a clone wearing plain white, phase-II Clone armor appeared. It was Delta Squad's advisor appeared.

"Alright commandoes, listen up," the Advisor said as a holo image of a Separatist base with a large communications dish appeared next to the advisor. "Your target is this cyber center. It's the brains of the entire Separatist campaign here on Anaxes".

Scorch stepped forward.

"No problem. I've got enough charges to blow that building twice".

"This isn't a demo job Delta-62. It's strictly a retrieval mission," the Advisor scolded.

* * *

Unbeknownst to anyone on the gunship, they were being watched by Separatist droids that were set up on top of the canyon wall.

One B1 unit with green accents painted on his tan plates pressed a mechanical finger to his head, and an antennae extended from a power pack on his back. He was making a call to his allies.

"Sector 1 alert: Enemy Gunship approaching your location. Come in sector one".

In another part of the canyon, a platoon of battle droids were setting up a firing position with several dwarf spider droids. They were domelike droids with spider-like legs. They each packed a serious punch.

"Roger Roger,' a droid commander said as the spider droids walked up to the cliff edge that overlooked the canyon.

They soon caught the afore-mentioned gunship with their photo-receptors. The ship was flying through the canyon towards their location.

The droid commander pointed to the gunship. "Fire!"

And with that, the spider droids cut loose with their heavy blaster fire.

* * *

The gunship was being rocked by heavy flak, causing an alarm to blare out in the cockpit and passenger bay.

"Incoming fire," the pilot said.

He banked the gunship up as hard as he could, trying to get out of the canyon and avoid the flak.

But below the ship, the spider droids looked straight up and fired on the ship.

One blaster bolt caught the ship right where the wing meets the engine section.

The gunship began to rapidly lose altitude.

"Sir, we're going down!" the co-pilot exclaimed.

"Everyone, brace yourselves!" the pilot ordered over the ship's intercom.

As the strike force members grabbed ahold of the hand rails, the two pilots desperately tried to control the ship's rapid descent.

The ship banked to the side, scraping against the canyon wall. The left wing tore a gash into the rock wall before it was torn off. With just a right wing left, the gunship banked to the other side. It smashed into the ground, scraping against the ground and digging up a massive trench into the earth, as well as leaving behind chunks of flaming debris.

The ship eventually came to a complete stop.

After a few seconds, the hatch was opened manually by Fixer and Sev, allowing the clones to spill out of the wreckage.

Eventually, everyone was outside.

"Rule 45 Sev: Any landing you can walk away from is a good one," Scorch said as he stumbled to the ground. But then he looked over his shoulder at the cockpit and noticed that the pilots weren't moving. "Damn, never mind. Poor sods".

Cody stumbled out while limping. He, like several others, was coughing viciously from the smoke that poured out of the open hatch.

Then he stumbled to the ground when his bad leg gave out underneath him. "GAH! Status!" He called out as Kix began to check his leg.

"Sir, the bird's waisted and we've lost the pilots on impact. The rest of us are dinged up, but okay," Rex said.

"We lost a lot of our equipment," Boss said.

"And I'm not getting a signal, sir. We are officially cut off behind enemy lines," Fixer said.

Everyone gathered around Cody.

"Oh, this is just perfect," Boil muttered, "just Goddamned perfect".

Kix waved his medical device over Cody, giving his body a quick scan.

"Sir, your leg's all messed up. You can't move on your own right now," Kix reported.

Suddenly, the gunship exploded. The fire presumably spread to the fuel tank, or the missile launchers.

"Well, things can't possibly get much worse," Jesse said.

"Wanna bet?" A gruff voice said.

Everyone turned their heads in unison in the direction of the voice, and saw Sev looking off into the distance. 'What was in the distance you ask?' About 200 battle droids, moving towards the crashed gunship as fast as they could, their metal legs clanking menacingly as they went.

Sev turned to Boss. "That blast gave away our position".

"Oh yeah? Well I thought getting shot down gave away our position," Scorch said, smarting off.

"Cut the chatter," Fixer ordered.

Rex stood up to rally the troops. "Find cover. We'll hold this position and let them come to us".

Boss stepped forward. "With all due respect sir, but I don't think so. That's not our style. We prefer to go to them," Boss said, pointing at the advancing droids. "Deltas, plan 82. Shockwave maneuver!"

The four commandoes from Delta Squad readied their weapons. Their armor glowed blue for a second as their personal deflector shields activated, giving their durasteel armor an extra layer of protection.

Fixer checked his wrist blades, while Scorch and Sev configured their rifles to use their preferred weapons modification. Scorch preferred the anti-armor grenade launcher configuration, while Sev, the fierce hunter that he is, preferred the sniper configuration.

When Boss checked his dual pistols, he took point and picked up a piece of the gunship hatch to put in front of him. His squad gathered around him, ready to follow his lead.

"Let's get to work," Boss said, before his team charged at the company of battle droids. Boss held the piece of metal sideways to run with it more easily, while his squad was right next to him.

"Blast them!" The droid commander shouted. Seconds later, every battle droid in front of the clones opened fire. Boss swung the metal he was carrying in front of him just as the red laser bolts began to pound their position.

As Boss ran with the shield, his men began to fire back at the droids, putting several of them down with unrealistic precision.

* * *

Back at the wreckage, Rex and the other clones were hanging back to provide supporting fire.

They were amazed at how the commandoes were just charging at the enemy.

Jesse stopped firing to put in his two credits worth. "Are these guys for real?" The arc trooper asked.

Rex was himself dumbstruck by how the squad seemed to dive head first into danger no matter how deep, and also by how the commandoes moved like a well oiled machine, using initiative and creativity in their ... questionable methods. He came to realize something about this unit: Boss was their squad leader for a reason. And the squad was his weapon.

* * *

Boss slammed the shield down into the ground to create a makeshift defensive barrier.

His squad continued firing on the enemy.

Fixer used his visor to scan the enemy forces and the distance between them and the squad.

"Boss, Sev. 45, mark 151," Fixer called out.

"45, mark 151," Boss repeated before he threw an EC detonator, 'droid-popper', at the droids. As it sailed into the air above the droids, Sev was tracking the grenade with his rifle. He squeezed the trigger and sent a spear of plasma down range towards the grenade, which it struck. The EC grenade detonated, causing an EMP blast to expand outwards over the droids, shutting down almost all of them.

Boss moved forward, again carrying the shield, and again his men followed.

They repeated the shockwave strategy a few times, taking out dozens of droids each time.

A group of spider droids were bringing up the rear, and they began to fire on the squad.

"Fan out," Boss ordered. He swung the shield at a trio of battle droids, knocking all of them to the ground. When the shield was dropped, the squad split up and rushed the remaining droids.

Fixer charged at one of the spider droids. He ducked, dodged, and somersaulted past the droids in his way. The spider droid tried to get a beat on the swiftly moving commando, but before it could, Fixer jumped on top of its dome-like head before he swiftly drove one of his wrist-mounted vibroblades deep into its weak spot, the red optical cluster in the middle of the droid's frame. When that happened, the droid sparked for a few seconds, before it collapsed onto the ground, dead.

Scorch fired his grenade launcher at the remaining spider droid. The projectile sailed into the air before it came down on top of the droid's head. The grenade exploded on contact, causing another explosion to rip it, and several droids around it, apart.

"WOOOOHOOOO! Eat plasma you stupid droids. YEAH! Have some of that!" Scorch chanted triumphantly.

Boss continued to direct the squad's movements as he fired his dual pistols at the enemy droids.

They began to falter and retreat.

"They're unstoppable!" One droid exclaimed.

"Run Away! Run Aw-!" Another one said before he was cut down.

"They're retreating. Take offensive formation!" Boss ordered.

The squad rallied and began to fire rapidly into the back of the retreating droids. 200 droids went into the canyon, but none came out. All across the canyon floor, the ground around the victorious commandoes was littered with dead droids. And the only noticeable damage that they received was some dust they got from the explosions.

Captain Rex and the other clones, one propping up an injured Cody, began to walk back over to the commandoes.

Rex walked up to Boss and his men. "That was quite the show you put on," he complimented. that was an understatement of coarse. His men were in awe.

"Just doing our jobs, sir," Boss said.

Sev blasted a droid body, getting everyone's attention.

"Sev, do you always have to make such a mess?" Scorch asked.

"Rule 17: Always make sure they're dead," Sev said.

"It looks dead to me," Scorch said.

"It is now," Sev said.

Ignoring the banter between the two commandoes, Rex decided that it was time to salvage this mess.

"We should get moving before more droids show up. Our position's been compromised," Rex said. Boss nodded, and both clones rallied their respective troopers to get moving.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Canyon, Separatist controlled territory, hours later_.

Some time later, a force of droid commandoes and a tactical droid were surveying the what remained of their forces in this canyon.

One of them had a hologram of Admiral Trench.

The droid leader spoke.

"We wanted to speak with you directly sir. This infiltration is...irregular".

"*Tck Tck Tck*. Were there Jedi with this squad?"

"There is no evidence of jedi sir. Just clones, but using tactics we have never seen before."

This got Trench's undivided attention.

"Interesting. Tck Tck Tck. They're on their own in the middle of no where. Sweep this area and locate these clones. And notify me if this incursion escalates, Tck Tck Tck".

The droid leader bowed his head before the hologram of Trench disappeared. He then started directing his men to continue searching the wreckage for anything remotely useful.

These clones were like a virus that could not be allowed to fester.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

* * *

Deep in the jungle, the clones had set up camp. Bird calls and bug noises echoed throughout the red tree tops of Anaxes. And much further away, explosions were doing off in the distance. But they were muffled by the distance, and the tall canyon walls.

_BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!_

Boss was trying to get a signal back to base, while Cody was being treated for his injuries.

The rest of the clones were gathered around a fire, eating their ration bars.

"So what now?" Boil asked. "The commander's injured and we're stranded in the middle of Sep territory with no backup".

The regular clones around him shrugged.

Sev, who was cleaning his rifle, interjected.

"We're not trapped here with the clankers. They're trapped here with us".

Jesse smirked and shook his head.

"Don't you guys ever get tired of this?"

"Hell no!" Scorch jumped in. "Sev's right. We've been through worse. Remember that whole situation aboard the Prosecutor, back in the Chaykin Cluster?"

That's when Rex and Boss came up to the troopers.

They all looked at them to see what was up.

"What's the word sir?" Fixer asked.

"Well boys ... I've got bad news: Cody's still injured, and our comms are still out. Which means that we're on our own with no evac on the way".

The clones all looked at each other.

"So what's our next move?" Waxer asked.

Rex looked at Cody, who was carried forward by Kix, who set hit down.

"We have to keep moving," he said as he looked up at Rex. "Rex, you're taking point on this one."

Everyone looked at Rex.

"Alright. Let's move out".

* * *

The team began to trek through the jungle. During the journey, the sounds of nature and distant battle mixed to create an ominous feeling.

"This jungle gives me the creeps." Scorch said.

"Ah Scorch. Nothing like moving through the jungle, hiding in the bushes, and putting a plasma bolt through a hostile's cranium," Sev said before he took in a deep breath. "It makes me feel alive".

"Okay. Now oh-seven is giving me the creeps," Scorch said.

"Everything gives you the creeps," Sev said.

Several hours later, the team eventually came up on a security tower, guarded by battle droids.

Rex, Jesse, and the Deltas were in front. Waxer and Boil stayed behind to protect Cody and Kix, who were bringing up the rear.

"Not our primary objective. It's an outpost. Should we take it?" Boss asked Rex.

"Probably easier than going around," Rex said.

"Alright. What are your orders. Pick 'em off from the tree-line one by one?"

"Hmmm. We'll have Cody and the others do that. Meanwhile, I was thinking maybe we'd take a page from your book: Rush them head on".

Boss chuckled a little. "I like your style".

* * *

The Battle droids were just standing at attention, guarding this outpost. As usual, they didn't see much action. They didn't see any action since they've landed a few weeks ago. Just guard this spot that seems boring and uninteresting.

Suddenly, several blaster bolts came out of the tree line off to their right.

The droids all looked in that direction. They didn't see anything.

Suddenly, a squad of clones burst out of the tree-line from guns blazing, from a different direction off to their left.

"Clones! Get them!"

The droids began to advance on the clones, firing their blasters rapidly as they marched. But the clones were too fast for the slow-witted droids, and one-by-one, they began to fall.

When all of the droids on the outside of the facility were killed, Rex, Jesse, and the commandoes rushed the building.

They took out several more droids in the corridor inside, and boarded a small circular lift. While Rex, Jesse, Boss, and Fixer travelled boarded the lift that would take them to the top floor, Scorch and Sev stayed behind. When a few more droids tried to re-enter, the two commandoes fired their rapid fire DC-17 blaster, filling the droids with blaster fire. The droids, having had their torsos dotted with blaster marks, doubled over with a groan and died.

At the top of the tower, several battle droids were working at their stations. But they were so busy, that they didn't notice the lift that had just raised up into the center of the command deck. The lift's cargo: Four terrifying Clone troopers and commandoes.

One droid, a commander by the looks of his yellow markings, finally noticed them when he turned around.

"Hey, you're not authorized," the droid said a split second before Jesse put a blaster bolt dead center in it's chest, causing him to groan and slump to the deck.

That's when the other three clones swiftly went to work ripping the droids a new robotic asshole bigger than Anaxes' deepest canyons. The commandoes, used their wrist mounted vibro-blades to tear the droids to pieces. Bluish-purple motor oil sprayed onto the clone's visor when they did so. Fixer ripped the head off of one droid and began to mercilessly beat the crap out of another one with it.

Rex and Jesse were blasting the remaining droids that were still seated.

Soon, the fighting was over. The commandoes visor-shield wipers wiped the droid 'blood' that had sprayed onto their visors, and then they checked their weapons. At the same time, Sev and Scorch were arriving on the lift. They looked around at the carnage that their brothers had caused.

"It's over already? Dammit!" Scorch complained.

As that happened, Fixer went to one of the terminals and Rex walked over to the window to look out over the landscape. The tower's command deck had a 360 degree view of the region. They saw trees, rocks, and some more trees. But Rex managed to pick out a massive satellite dish at the base of the hill that the tower was overlooking.

"There!" Rex said, pointing at the dish. "That's our target: The Separatist cyber center".

"What've you got Fixer?" Boss asked.

"That's definitely the cyber center. It looks like it only has a few droid squads protecting it. But both entrances are guarded by several defensive turrets, which are activated if the alarms go off. But it looks like the turrets aren't activated by motion detectors," Fixer informed. "Be advised, I'm detecting a whole platoon of mechanized infantry heading our way".

As Fixer said this, he brought up a hologram of three MTTs and some Ground Armored Tank _(the star-fighter tanks from the 2002 clone wars video game)_ escorts.

Rex began to think to himself.

_'This means that we have to make this quick. If one squad can distract the enemy, then another squad can go around back without setting off the defensive turrets and then sneak in completely undetected. Hmmm.'_

The veteran clone captain then looked at the base of the tower and saw several Geonosian designed flit-knot speeders.

"38, I want you and some of your boys to take those speeders and flank the cyber center. I'll take the rest of the boys and launch a diversionary assault on the front of the cyber center.

Boss nodded and then turned to his men.

"Forty, Six-two: you're with me. Sev, go up on that ridge line and give Rex and Cody some sniper support".

"Affirmative," Fixer said.

"You got it Boss," Scorch said.

"Copy that," Sev acknowledged.

Rex smirked.

"We've gotta tackle that base before their reinforcements arrive. Let's do this boys".

* * *

A few moments later, a trio of Separatist speeder bikes began to zoom across the ridgeline off to the side of the canyon, in which the cyber center was in. They were carrying Boss, Scorch, and Fixer.

When they were behind the cyber center, they dismounted their speeders and slid down the sloped side of the canyon. They landed behind a bunch of bushes, completely concealed and out of sight.

Fixer and Scorch looked at Boss, who gave them a series of hand signals.

'Stay put', Boss signaled.

The two commandoes nodded.

All they had to do was play the waiting game.

* * *

Meanwhile, on the other side of the base, Rex and the other troopers moved through the tree-line about 30 yards from the front entrance.

Cody was being carried to a good shooting position by Kix.

Rex and Jesse took point, inching their way through the edge of the tree-line until they could see the opening between them and the front entrance. There were about 20 commando droids out front. Two droids were right in front of them, their backs facing the clones.

The two clones walked up behind them.

The droids, having no idea the clones were about to kill them, were deep in conversation.

"Do you know what's going on?" One asked the other.

"Maybe it's another dri-aaaaahhhh!" It whined as Jesse yanked the droid back and ripped it's head out of its socket.

"Hey!" The other one exclaimed as Rex shoved it to the ground and curb-stomped its neck.

When they were done, Rex, Jesse, Waxer, and Boil all prepared to rush the base. Kix walked up with Cody, who had an arm around his shoulder. When Cody was sat down behind cover, he aimed down the iron sights of his rifle and aimed at the droids in front of the base.

Rex spoke into his com-link. "Is everyone in position?"

" _Affirmative_ ," Boss said.

" _Ready and raring sir_ ," Sev acknowledged, as he laid down in a prone position and switched to his sniper mode.

"Let's hurry. The Seps'll have the outpost back under their control by now," Cody said into his own comm.

* * *

Back at the tower that overlooked the canyon, three MTT carriers and their small tank escorts rolled on in. Several trees toppled over as they surrounded the base.

Dozens off regular battle droids marched in rank and file, securing the tower perimeter.

Inside, a tactical droid and a squad of battle droids took the lift up to the CIC deck. They were surrounded by the smoking and sparking droid corpses from when Rex and the others stormed the tower earlier.

The tactical droid pulled out a small comm disk, which projected a hologram of Admiral Trench.

"Sir, we tracked the clone strike team here. They seemed to have captured this location and then deserted it," the droid said as he walked over to a window which had a good view of the cyber center. "I cannot calculate the logic of this assault".

Trench clicked his mandibles together before speaking.

"Tck Tck Tck. There is no tactical advantage in taking the outpost. Their target will be the nearby cyber center," Trench said before he began to ponder the situation. "They must know about the algorithm. Get me in contact with that outpost at once".

* * *

" _Oh-Seven: the fiercest hunter of all your brothers._ " That's what Taun We said to Boss regarding Sev. He was in fact the fiercest of them all. Like his brothers, he was trained by the legendary Mandalorian warrior Walon Vau.

He was a sniper that lived for the hunt. He had a hatred for everything related to the Separatist Alliance, including some of the alien species that joined them, particularly the Geonosians. When the war broke out during the 1st battle of Geonosis, 10000 Clone commandoes were deployed to the planet's surface. But 4982 would never see the Republic emerge victorious, for they were killed. Sev lost quite a few brothers that day, and he promised that he would avenge them all.

4982 kills.

That was his goal.

One for every last one of his comrades that fell that day, the first day of the Clone Wars.

Laying down prone on the ridge-line that overlooked the cyber center, he looked through the two holographic blue sights on top of his rifle until the crosshairs were hovering over the head of a yellow armored battle droid commander, who was talking to a holographic version of Admiral Trench.

"Good night, clanker," Sev said to himself as he gently squeezed the trigger and fired.

* * *

The droid commander was talking to Trench. "Put all droids on alert. An attack is coming," he said.

The droid recoiled in surprise. "An attack is coming? When is-AHHH!" The droid screamed as a blue laser bolt burned a hole through his metal head. Before the droids had time to react, more blue laser bolts poured out of the tree line, downing several more droids.

Rex and his men charged out of the tree line guns blazing. Waxer and Boil threw some EC detonators, causing an electro magnetic pulse to emanate from the grenade's detonation, thus short-circuiting several more droids. Kix and Cody started pouring blaster fire from the trees, while Rex, Jesse, Boil, and Waxer hit the droids head on.

The droids fought back, seeking cover. As this happened, several automated turrets came out of the wall and started firing on the clones, who were forced to take cover.

Up on the ridge, Sev continued to work his way from droid to droid, squeezing the trigger every time his crosshairs hovered over some unfortunate droid's head.

It was at this time that the clones tried to fire back on the turrets. But they soon discovered that the turrets were ray-shielded in the front.

As their bolts were absorbed into the invisible barriers, Jesse cursed.

"Damnit! Our weapons can't penetrate those shields. Do we have any more droid-poppers?" He asked.

"That's a big negative trooper," Waxer said to Jesse, who grumbled in annoyance as he and the others were forced to keep their heads down.

"Rex! There's no way we'll be able to break through," Boil exclaimed.

"That's because we're not trying to break through. Don't you worry trooper. Delta won't let us down," Rex said as he fired one of his dual sidearms at the droids, who were continuing to grow in numbers and advance.

* * *

On the other side of the cyber center, the droids guarding the rear door were reacting to the sounds of blaster fire coming from the front. "All units to the front door," the commander ordered. He and his troopers ran to the other side, leaving the rear door completely unguarded.

Boss and his men were still watching from the bushes. There was no one left to keep them from moving in.

"Looks like the diversion's working," Fixer said.

Boss made a gesture with his hand in the direction of the back door. This caused his men to nod. He then took off, with the other two close behind.

"Alright, let's go in quietly," he said before he gestured towards Fixer. The green armored trooper nodded and walked over to the door control panel.

He tapped his fingertips against the panel, causing a series of clicking and beeping noises. "Very close now," Fixer said. The red panel blinked green and made a beeping noise. "We're in".

The three commandoes moved in, weapons at the ready. They checked their corners and swept through the narrow corridors.

Nothing.

All of the droids were outside, dealing with Rex and the others.

Perfect.

They came up on the door that led to the cyber center's control room.

It was locked.

The commandoes had two options: Slice the terminal and go in quietly, or blow the door and quickly sweep the room. Deciding to go with the latter, Boss raised his arm, bent his elbow and pumped his fist in the air twice.

"Delta Squad, execute door breach maneuver," he ordered as he made the gesture with his arm.

"Yes Sir," Fixer said as he turned around to aim his rifle down the corridor.

"I'm on it boss. One broken door coming right up," Scorch said as he went to place a thermal detonator on the door's locking mechanism. "Keep me covered".

"Roger that," Boss said.

Scorch pressed a button on the detonator, causing it to rapidly beep.

"Stand back," Scorch said as he moved away from the explosive.

The device blew up, blasting the lock off and opening the door.

Just as the door was opening, Boss swiftly pulled an EC detonator from his utility belt and tossed it through the opening door, which revealed a squad of battle droids and three tactical droids. "Fire in the hole!"

"Uh-Oh!"

"Mommy!"

The droids panicked before the grenade detonated and short circuited almost all of them.

The commandoes rushed in and blasted anyone that remained standing. Boss knocked one of the tactical droids to the ground and blasted him in the face with his DC-17. Another droid turned to blast him, but he swiftly pulled out his sidearm to blast the droid square in the face. Scorch stuck a small detonator to one droid and kicked him away, before the grenade exploded and enveloped the droid. Fixer tackled the third tactical droid to the ground and jammed his wrist blade deep into it's neck. When he withdrew the blade, sparks and oil spewed out onto his faceplate.

"Area secure Boss," Scorch said.

"Fixer. Get to work on these computers. We'll go get the others," Boss said.

Fixer nodded and went to work just as Boss and Scorch rushed down the corridor towards the front entrance.

* * *

Rex and the others were holding their own, but they couldn't advance. The turrets and the remaining droids had them pinned. But when it seemed like the stalemate couldn't be broken, it was shattered when the doors opened to reveal two commandoes.

Boss and Scorch immediately went to work blasting and knifing the droids one by one. Boss took his dual sidearms and blasted the unprotected flanks of the defense turrets, taking them all out. The droid ranks thinned swiftly until only a battle droid commander remained.

He turned around and noticed that the two clones stood over his dead comrades.

"Hey where did you come fro-AAAAAA!" the droid whined before Sev shot it's head off from the top of the ridge. Scorch saw the direction from which the blast came and gave a thumbs up. He was answered by a glint from Sev's visor.

Rex and others rushed up to the entrance.

"What took you boys so long? We've been here for at least two minutes," Jesse cracked.

"Well good for you smart-ass," Scorch shot back as the other clones secured the entrance. Kix, once again, came over with Cody propped up on his shoulder.

Just as they all rallied at the front entrance, they could hear a loud humming noise, followed by the rustling and cracking of breaking trees, and finally by the rhythmic sounds of robotic clanking.

Everyone looked to see the Sep reinforcements arriving.

"You'd better get in their Rex. We'll take it from here," Cody said as he aimed his rifle at the advancing droid tanks. Rex nodded and rushed into the building.

The troopers faced the mechanized CIS platoon just in time to see the MTT's open their front hatches. Several racks extended from each tank. When the racks were fully extended, Super Battle Droids were dropped down from them. They began to advance along with the rest of the droids, and under the cover of several Separatist light hover tanks.

"Open Fire!" Cody ordered, and the clones unleashed a storm of blaster fire.

Droids fell in droves, but they kept marching.

And they would keep marching until either the clones were dead, or they were dead themselves.

* * *

Rex ran into the control center to see Fixer hovering over the holo-table.

"Okay, I'm in. What am I looking for?" Fixer asked.

Rex pulled a data drive from his utility belt.

"Here's the algorithm," he said as he gave it to Fixer, who connected it to a data pad that was plugged into the computer system. "You're looking for a program using this sequence".

Fixer went to work, punching in keys rapidly. That's when a hologram of the algorithm appeared over the table in front of them.

"I found it!" Fixer exclaimed. But then he stopped himself. He then found himself studying the information in front of him. "Hmmm. This is strange. It's not a program. It's a live signal from ... another planet. Skako Minor".

"A live signal?" Rex asked as he went back to watching as Fixer punched in keys again, but with a new interest on his mind.

* * *

The battle outside continued to rage hard. The SBDs continued to push forward, and the clones continued to hold the line. They kept under cover, lashing out when the opportunity presented itself.

But the clones wouldn't be able to hold on indefinitely. The CIS had more droids than the clones had ammo.

"Everyone fall back inside the building!" Cody ordered. "38! Now would be a good time to call in a getaway ride."

As everyone pulled back into the building, Boss got on the horn with Sev.

"Sev, we're gonna need a lift. Try and find us a ride out of here," Boss said as the door was shut behind him.

Up on the ridge, Sev scanned the area around the cyber center. Then he looked off into the distance and spotted a small CIS vehicle depot. He saw a speeder with a dozen seats. More than enough to get everyone out of here. It was guarded by more droids.

"Not gonna be a problem," Sev said into his comm.

* * *

Back in the cyber center, Rex and Fixer continued to look over the data in front of them.

"Here it is. This is audible," Fixer said, referring to the signal.

"Patch me in. I want to hear it," Rex said.

Fixer punched in a few more keys, allowing the signal to come through.

They both studied it. But there was something strange about the signal, which Fixer pointed out.

"What is that?" They both continued studying the signal. "It ... it sounds almost human".

Rex looked at the signal.

"It can't be!" He exclaimed.

* * *

Meanwhile, at a viechle depot near the cyber center, Sev was moving steathily towards the speeder he eyeballed earlier.

He trained his rifle on the only two droids that were in sight.

When the crosshairs were on the droid's head, he fired, causing the droid to fall to the ground. His buddy noticed. "Uh-oh," he said before he to was shot in the head too.

Sev rushed out of the bushes and charged towards the speeder. He jumped into the driver's seat, started the engine, and took off towards the cyber center.

* * *

The front entrance door exploded, allowing the droid army to pour through in an attempt to overrun the clones inside.

"We've gotta go. Now!" Boss ordered. The clones pulled back deeper into the building, firing their weapons as they did. They pulled back one by one, each trooper covering his brothers as they ran. Each time, the troopers were able to fall back. And each time, the droids paid a price for trying to reclaim the building.

* * *

Rex and Fixer looked up as an explosion rocked the building, causing loose dust to float down from the ceiling.

"Fixer. Find out who's sending this. Ask who that is," Rex instructed.

Fixer went back to punching in more keys. Whatever he did worked. The signal began to speak ... literally.

"CT-21-0408. CT-21-0408. CT-21-0408," the signal said, in the voice of a clone trooper.

Rex nearly fainted.

"I ... I don't believe it," Rex said as the voice kept on repeating those numbers.

_"CT-21-0408. CT-21-0408. CT-21-0408._ "

Fixer pulled his data pad from the terminal and put it away, just as Boss came to collect them.

"We're gone. Captain, let's go," Boss encouraged.

Fixer rushed out to join the others. But Rex hesitated.

The battle was get closer and fiercer.

But Rex stayed there.

"REX! NOW!" Boss shouted.

Rex put his helmet on and left the repeating voice behind.

_"_ _CT-21-0408. CT-21-0408. CT-21-0408. CT-21-0408. CT-21-0408._ _CT-21-0408_."

* * *

Rex joined the others, who were in the middle of a fight for their lives.

The clones blasted away at the droids, which continued to march down the narrow corridor over their fallen comrades.

The Republic troopers pulled out and prepared to leave the building. When they opened the door, they saw a droid on the other side. Without thinking, Cody blasted it with his sidearm while being carried by Kix.

"Nice one Commander," Waxer said.

"I've still got it in me, trooper," Cody said as everyone gathered outside.

They were soon surrounded. They circled up, standing back to back, and began blasting at the droids that converged on their location.

They continued to be pushed back until they were completely surrounded. When it seemed like they were going to be overrun, Sev came in on the speeder he hijacked and landed it next to the squad. Everyone piled onboard. They kept on firing after they took their seats. That's when Sev lifted the speeder up and flew away from the cyber center, red laser bolts flying up passed them. But they were long gone.

* * *

Back at the tower outpost, a tactical droid was speaking to a holographic version of Trench.

"We have chased the clones out of the center sir. They are retreating back towards Republic lines".

" _Tck Tck Tck. Did they download anything from the central computer?_ "

"There doesn't appear to be any intel missing," the droid said before another droid handed him a data pad, which gave a quick scan. "But there appears to have been a connection made with Skako Minor".

Trench looked on in shocked horror.

_"WHAT!?"_

* * *

Back on the stolen speeder, which was traveling back to Fort Anaxes, Rex had his head down and his hands clasped together as he pondered the new information that he just drank in at the cyber center. Fixer leaned over to try and speak to him.

"That number Captain ... what did it mean?" He asked.

Rex looked at him, and then went back to looking at his lap.

"CT-21-0408. That was Echo's number. That was Echo".

The speeder kept flying over the landscape of the planet Anaxes, carrying information vital to the Republic's operation. Information that was on another planet. Information from a clone trooper long thought to have been dead.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**


	2. A Distant Echo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have no fear, Grubkiller is here.
> 
> Hey folks, here's part 2 of this story. You know, last chapter, I focused on the Bad Batch Story arc. As much as I liked the story arc when it was released in story reels, I think that it would've been so much better if it was Delta Squad instead. I remember when Clone Wars season 3 was coming out, and me and my brother saw the trailer, we were hyped as all hell when we saw Delta Squad in the trailer, and are disappointed to this day that they were relegated only to a cameo. I think that it would've been so cool to see our favorite clone commandoes in one of our favorite TV shows. BUT NO!
> 
> Anyway, I hope that you continue to enjoy my story.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_After repeated setbacks on the planet Anaxes, an elite clone squad is deployed to investigate the Separatist tactical advantage. Led by Commander Cody and Captain Rex, this special unit, codenamed: Delta Squad, infiltrates Admiral Trench's cyber center to steal a strategic algorithm capable of predicting the Republic's every move. What our heroes found was a live signal from the ARC trooper known as Echo, a clone long believed to be dead._

* * *

_Fort Anaxes_.

Across the rocky valleys and over the red tree tops of Anaxes, the sounds of war were drowning out the sounds of the birds and the insects.

Explosions were echoing over the hills and vibrating through the soil. The sounds of Republic and Separatist star fighters roared through the skies, and the unsettling sounds of the wounded could be heard for all of the galaxy to hear.

At the center of the Republic's presence on this planet, things were, like they were for the past few weeks, literally buzzing with activity. Republic gunships were flying back and forth, making supply runs and medivac missions, keeping the troops supplied and carrying the wounded away from the danger zone. Republic fighters were taking off from the airfield outside of the cliffside base.

Republic tanks were marching out of the hanger with columns of troopers in between them. Not wanting to risk being shot down by Separatist forces, Republic ground forces had to march on foot if they were close enough to the front.

Inside the base's hanger itself, amidst the never-ending activity of the Grand Army, Anakin Skywalker was walking with two clone troopers. One was his second in command, CC-7567, aka 'Captain Rex', and the other was RC-1138, aka 'Boss', the leader of a Republic spec ops team, Delta Squad. They had, fairly recently, come back from their mission to the enemy cyber center. A mission in which commander Cody was injured, and a long dead clone was discovered to still be alive.

"So ... you have a new mission for us captain?" Boss asked.

"Yes," Rex said as they all stopped walking and spoke in a circle. "We're going to follow the trail of the algorithm to Skako Minor".

"Rex believes we'll find Echo," Anakin said to Boss as he crossed his arms over his chest. "An Arc Trooper who was ...*sigh*...missing in action".

Boss looked over at Rex with a surprised look on his face. "Well...that's a pretty covert operation I'd say. Let me talk to the advisor. We'll take the transport that brought us here. Not the most luxurious ride in the galaxy, but with its stealth technology, we'll be able to infiltrate the system without anyone knowing," Boss said, referring to a modified CR-25 transport waiting for them in orbit.

"Sounds like a good plan to me," Anakin said.

"It sounds like a dubious plan to me," said a voice behind Anakin. the young Jedi knight turned to see that it was his former master, and closest friend, Obi-Wan Kenobi. "Am I to gather that the rescue mission proposed to the council, the one they rejected, is going forward?" Obi-Wan asked Anakin, who lowered his head slightly while looking at Rex.

"Uuuuuuhhm, I'm going to gather my team if you need me," Boss said as he began to make a strategic withdraw from the uncomfortable conversation that was about to commence.

Obi-Wan crossed his arms and looked at Anakin and Rex, about to go into another one of his famous lectures.

"From Anakin I expected this type of disregard for authority," Obi-Wan said before turning to the captain. "But Rex ... I'm surprised that you would be involved in such a reckless plan".

Rex stood up straighter and looked at Obi-Wan. "Actually sir, this was my Idea. If Echo's alive and being held hostage, I can't just leave him there," he said adamantly.

"If he's alive," Obi-Wan emphasized. "Your intentions are honorable Rex, but defying the Council's orders for a personal crusade, on a neutral planet no less, that is not advisable," Obi-Wan said as he shook his head.

Rex took a half step forward.

"With all due respect General, this is not just a personal crusade. Even if the Separatists don't have Echo, they still have my algorithm, which gives them a tactical advantage here on Anaxes, and maybe every other battlefront," Rex said.

Anakin stepped in and placed a reassuring hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder.

"Master, it's a simple snatch and grab mission. We'll be in and out before the Council even knows we're gone," Anakin said as he crossed his arms and stood next to Rex.

Obi-Wan sighed and lowered his head in defeat. "I can see that I am not going to be able to talk you out of this," Obi-Wan said as he started to walk away. But then he paused to look at them. "May the force be with you".

And with that, he walked off without another word. Rex and Anakin watched Obi-Wan walk away. And then they shared a wordless look before they walked off to find Delta Squad.

* * *

Anakin and Rex found Delta Squad. They were gathered near a CR-25 troop transport. It was basically a giant gray brick with three engines on the back. It carried two LAAT/i gunships on its underside.

They climbed aboard and went to the passenger bay. This was where the commandoes got ready for their missions. There was some work-out equipment, a few racks, and guns. Lot's of guns, and ammo. There were also some posters on the wall. Some were propaganda posters with Clone troopers on them, space battles, and the rest were pin up girls.

A couple of the pin-up girl posters caught Anakin's eye.

One was a posters, entitled _'Trooper's ARC-Angel'_ , was one of his ex-padawan, Ahsoka Tano, wearing a... naughty version of the Jedi outfit she wore before she left the order, while leaning against a wall, with her thighs pressed together and her knees bent. She had back arched, and her chest pushed out. Her right hand was on her right thigh, and her other arm was reaching behind her head. Her were pushed behind her shoulders, and her lips were parted, as she stared into the camera in a seductive manner. _**(This poster is actually the cover art for one of my fan-fiction stories, Keeping the Boys Inspired.)**_

The other was a poster of Senator Padme Amidala, sitting down with her legs together and exposed. She also had her hand on her hip and the other was carrying a blaster pistol. Her already large breasts were ... enlarged, their nipples showing through the dress that looked as though it was about to slip off of her petite, and voluptuous frame.

Very few people, if any, knew that Senator Amidala was secretly Anakin's wife. T see that her beautiful body was on a Clone trooper's pin-up poster was ... less than amusing, no matter how good she looked.

"Uh hey ... what's with the pin-up poster?" Anakin asked, his face forming a disgusted frown as he looked at the naughty images of Ahsoka and Padme.

Boss looked at the posters.

"Oh. That's our girl, the Naboo senator. Heheheh. We check her out on the holo-scans. The other is our Arc-Angel. She keeps us... inspired." Boss said as he walked off.

"Yeah. She can be my angel anytime," Scorch said suggestively before he turned and left. "Heheheh".

Anakin was still looking at the posters with frustration.

Rex cleared his throat.

"Uhm. Le-Le-Let's go get settled in," Rex said, trying to encourage his General to let it go.

Anakin got moving, but he quietly voiced his disapproval. "Those. Are Not. Staying. There!" he hissed under his breath.

Before Rex followed Anakin deeper into the ship, he took one more glance at the pin up art and walked behind Skywalker.

Moments later, the large ship took off and flew away from the base and up into orbit.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Skako Minor_.

The Skakoan homeworld.

A planet located in the Galactic Core along the Hydian Way, Skako Minor was world with a harsh methane climate. Because of this, the people wore protective suits and lived in buildings that towered over the dark green clouds of methane.

It was owned by the Techno Union. A corporation that, while declaring neutrality, was actually working for the Separatist Alliance. The leader of the Techno Union, a Skakoan named Wat Tambor, was a member of the Separatist War council.

He was recently freed from Republic custody, for his Ryloth occupation, by Dooku's latest assassin **(Read my other story, ' _A Fallen Jedi'_ , for more info)**. Since then, he's been continuing his operations. One of which included a Republic algorithm which was vital to the CIS's theater in the Core.

His scientists were working on something when one of them informed him of something.

"Emir Tambor. We are receiving a transmission from Admiral Trench on the planet Anaxes," one of the scientists informed.

"Put him through," he ordered before he walked over to the monitors on the wall.

The scientists pressed a few buttons, and Trench's cyborg/arachnid face was on display.

_"Pardon the intrusion, Minister Tambor. Tck Tck Tck. But I have disturbing news_ ," Trench said.

"You may proceed Admiral," Tambor said.

"An infiltration team of Clones has traced the algorithm's signal to Skako. Tck Tck Tck. I believe that it is only a matter of time before the Republic mounts an attack on your position," Trench said.

Tambor's resolve began to flare up. He just got out of prison, and he'll be damned if he goes back in.

"Than we shall be ready for them," Tambor said.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_CR-25 transport en route to Skako Minor_.

Hyperspace.

An alternate state of existence used by starships to achieve faster-than-light travel. It was the most common form of transportation in the galaxy, allowing people to get from point A to point B in the quickest way possible, even if they had to travel across the galaxy. Because of the galaxy's reliance on hyperspace travel, consequently, it was the backbone of the galactic community in terms of trade, politics, or in this case, warfare.

In the blue tunnel of hyperspace, a Republic CR-25 troop transport was on its way to a "neutral world" known as Skako Minor.

Inside the ship itself, Clone Trooper personnel from the Republic Navy, that were attached to the Spec Ops Brigade, were making sure the ship was running properly. Some Clones were flying the ship, while others were performing maintenance on the ship's internal systems. Others were making sure that the navi-computer was taking them on the correct coarse to Skako Minor.

But the most interesting Clones on the ship were inside of the passenger bay, which they used as the barracks. They were the members of Delta Squad. The four commandoes were doing different activities to pass the time. Boss and Sev had been sitting at a table, eating lunch together. But when Sev was done eating his deep fried nuna leg, he pushed his plate away and began to inspect his sniper rifle, cleaning it off and making calibrations where he saw fit. Fixer was off to the side, with his pack and helmet off, practicing on a punching bag with his wrist blade. Scorch was in the middle of the floor doing push-ups.

Anakin and Captain Rex were in the room with them. They were inspecting some of the weapons on the wall. Namely the DC-17m Interchangeable Weapon System. It was a fascinating weapons system. It was a rapid-fire blaster rifle that could be quickly converted into sniper rifle or a grenade launcher. Anakin toyed around with one of the rifles, switching it to sniper configuration and looking down the sights, under Rex's de-facto supervision.

When he was done, he put the rifle back and looked at Boss, who had just gotten up to throw his food out, and put the tray back where he got it.

"So Sergeant ... how many missions have your squad been on?" He asked.

When Boss threw his food out and rested the tray on top of the counter, he turned around and leaned against the counter-top.

"Honestly sir, I've lost count. We've been to Geonosis, Mygeeto, Felucia, Kashyyyk. We've even routed out terrorist cells in the Core worlds, including Coruscant. But all of the action sort of just blurs together," Boss said.

"I know that General Zey and the rest of the Spec Ops Brigade are legendary across the Republic. But surely your squad has to be the most recognizable, what with all of the missions you've been on ... and the things you've accomplished?" Rex asked.

Boss shook his head back and forth.

"What? Why not?" Anakin asked.

"Because no one in Republic space cares about us. Sure they love it when Clones keep the clankers from burning their planets to the ground, but they don't care about individual clone squads," Sev casually said, looking up from his sniper rifle.

Anakin was surprised by this.

"They just want to see the Jedi leading the Clone army's charge, while cuting through armies of clankers. Hmpf, even thought we're the ones do the big jobs that you never hear about," Scorch said.

Anakin felt somewhat guilty all of a sudden. His title back home was the 'Hero with no Fear'. But come to think of it, what were the clones recognized for? Sure, they were the brave soldiers that followed the Jedi into battle, and liberated countless worlds. But what did people back home think?

_'Maybe the Jedi are all they care about, even the Jedi are starting to be viewed negatively'_.

"I never really thought about it," Anakin said.

"Awwhh, it's not a big deal," Boss said.

"Yeah. It doesn't matter. We're happy to be here, defending the Republic. An accomplished mission is our reward. We'll be here for as long as we're needed," Fixer said.

Rex and Anakin smiled reassuringly. Before they could say anything, an alarm sounded throughout the ship.

_"Attention all hands! Attention all hands! We are on final approach towards Skako Minor. Report to your stations,_ " a voice on the ship's PA said.

Boss didn't even have to give an order. His squad reacted swiftly, grabbing their gear and heading to the cargo bay. That's where they met Delta Squad's advisor, a clone trooper wearing plain phase-II armor.

"Advisor, what's the situation?" Anakin asked.

The Clone trooper threw a black comm disk to the floor, which activated a hologram of Purkell city, Skako's capital. It was an array of large spires with bulbous structures on top, which kept the inhabitants above the harsh climate on the surface. A red dot was emitting from the top of a building in the city center.

"The algorithm's signal is originating from one of these spires in the center of the city," the trooper said while pointing to the jumble of spires and antennae. "But due to the storm on the surface, we only have rough co-ordinates. And we don't want to attract too much attention, so flying down there is not an option. You're going to have to get creative for this one," the advisor said.

Everyone in the squad looked at each other. Then Anakin spoke up. "Well, I know how I'm getting down. But how about you boys?" Anakin asked the clones. All of the clones looked at each other. "With respect sir, but your way is too slow. If I may make a suggestion, I say we use the H.O.P.E. pods sirs," Boss said.

Anakin and Rex looked at each other.

"Excuse me?" Anakin asked.

"Boys, get to your pods!" Boss ordered.

Everyone in Delta Squad nodded and moved to another section of the ship. Anakin and Rex looked at each other, confused. But then they shrugged their shoulders and followed the commandoes.

They went to the escape pod bay.

"What are we going here?" Rex asked.

"Gentlemen...welcome to the H.O.P.E. bay." Fixer said.

"HOPE?" Anakin and Rex asked in unison.

" _High Orbit Precision Entry_ ," Fixer said. "We're going to take these pods to the surface. Our size and speed will make us invisible to enemy radar".

Anakin and Rex were completely caught off guard. "Wait. You want us to fly down there in one-man pods?" Anakin asked with shocked horror written on his face.

"No! Don't be ridiculous," Scorch said. "We're dropping to the surface".

Rex and Anakin gulped.

"And then, once we're inside, we'll grab your man, call in an evac, and then we're out of here," Boss said.

The Jedi and clone captain looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders.

"Come on ladies, we don't have all day," Sev said as he got inside of his pod.

Everyone got inside of a pod. When Rex strapped himself in, the hatch closed automatically. The pod was completely dark until a red light came on, covering him in red. That's when two small screens activated. One had Anakin on it, while the other had Delta's advisor on it.

" _What's the story advisor_?" Anakin asked over the comm from his pod.

" _Latest intel suggests that the storm will be going strong for the next few hours. Your comms will be nothing but static while your in it. So once you leave the ship, you're on your own_ ," Advisor said.

" _Understood_ ," Rex said.

" _Affirmative_ ," Fixer said.

" _Loud and clear Advisor,_ " Scorch said.

" _Copy that,_ " Sev acknowledged.

When the screen turned off, Rex could feel the pod rotating inside of the silo.

" _All right, pucker up your holes troopers. 'Cuz I sure as hell ain't hosing out your pods_ ," Boss said.

That's when Rex heard several beeping noises. He assumed that it was a countdown of some sort.

**_Boop, boop, boop, boooop!_ **

When the last beep sounded, he felt his pod eject from the HOPE bay, and shoot him towards the surface below.

" _WOOOOOHOOOO_!" Scorch shouted over the comm.

The turbulence shook the pods around viciously. It made Rex's stomach turn as he shook around in his harness restraints, and his heart began to race harder than it ever had in his 12 year life. He pressed a button, activating a screen that showed the outside of the pod. He could see his other comrades' pods entering the atmosphere, covered in flames from the re-entry. His screen flashed dark green as the pods began piercing through the puke green clouds of methane that hung over the planet.

They eventually could see the spire buildings that towered over Skako's surface.

" _Captain, General. We're 15 klicks off the deck (surface),_ " Boss said over the comm.

" _Alright, stand-by to adjust trajectory. On my mark_." Anakin said.

Everyone began to calculate a new coarse. One that would take them a little further away from the city, and giving them a better chance of going undetected.

" _Mark!_ " Anakin ordered.

That's when everyone angled their pods on a new coarse. The ground was rapidly coming up on them.

"Hey Sev, wanna race?" Scorch asked over the comm.

" _How? You can't speed up the pod. You can only slow it down_ ," Sev interjected.

"Well, how about we see who slows down the latest," Scorch challenged.

After a few moments of silence, the squad's sniper gave his answer.

"You're on," Sev said, accepting the challenge.

As the ground came closer and closer into view, the strike team members began to slow their pods down one-by-one. Small thrusters at the bottom of the pod fired. Moments later, a parachute-like object that was tethered to each pod was deployed. The pods slowed down. Except for Sev and Scorch's, who's pods screamed towards the surface of Skako Minor.

"2000 meters," Fixer said. That was the distance between the two pods and the surface. It was rapidly declining.

_"Alright troopers, you've had your fun. Now pull your chutes,_ " Anakin ordered.

" _Come on General. Just a few more seconds?_ " Scorch asked.

" _In a few seconds you're gonna be flattened against the surface. Now do as the general has ordered, and deploy your damned chutes!_ " Boss ordered.

As if responding to his own order, the chutes on the two commandoes' pods deployed at almost the exact same time, rapidly slowing their descent. Moments later, Scorch and Sev were on the surface. They were followed by Boss, Anakin, Rex, and Fixer.

The last four arrivals (Anakin and Rex being slightly disoriented) exited their pods to see Sev and Scorch arguing.

"I'm telling you: I totally slowed down after you. I won," Scorch said, pointing to himself.

"And I'm telling you that you're dreaming," Sev countered.

"Cut the chatter and stay focused," Boss ordered. "We have a mission to complete. Now fall in line!"

Scorch and Sev stopped bickering and checked their weapons and armor. When they were done, the squad rallied up.

"Alright," Anakin said behind a breathing mask. "Let's move out".

Everyone of the five clones followed the Jedi general towards Purkell City.

* * *

After several hours of trekking through the fog, the infiltration team walked up a cliff that overlooked the landscape. Off in the distance, they could see multiple spires jutting up from out of the ground. The tops weren't visible, because they towered high above the surface, obscuring their tops with the green clouds of methane above.

Anakin turned to the squad. "I'd ask if you boys were afraid of heights, but after the way we came in, I know that's not true".

The clones chuckled amongst themselves. "It's not heights we can't stand. It's gravity," Boss said.

Fixer was looking at his data pad, which he had raised in the direction of Purkell city. "Sir. Something's wrong: I'm not picking up Echo's signal".

Rex and Anakin looked back at Fixer with surprise written all over their faces. "I-I don't understand. You said it was coming from this city," Rex said as he pointed to the city off in the distance.

"At this point, I can only guess," Fixer said. "All this methane could be interfering with my scanner," Fixer continued as he began to raise the data pad with his arms and wave it around, as if to regain the signal.

"Or..." Sev interjected. "...maybe they sent the signal to lure us into a trap, and maybe they're just using Echo as bait". Sev looked around to see everyone looking at him. He crossed his arms. "Well, I can't be the only one thinking that," he said defensively.

Boss stepped forward. "It could be a setup captain," he said, echoing his comrade's concerns.

Rex stepped forward. "Look..." he said, pointing an impatient finger at the commandoes. "...Every mission could be a trap. This one's no different. We still have to find the source of that algorithm ... and shut it down," Rex finished as he waved his hand to the side, dismissively.

"Sir, we still don't even know if this Echo is still alive. And even if he is, how do we know he isn't compromised?" Sev questioned as he turned and began walking down the rock formation.

Rex seemed offended by the remark. He stormed over to Sev and yanked him by the shoulder, turning him around. "Listen hear soldier. Echo's not a traitor. You hear me?!"

The rest of the squad looked on, not knowing what to do in response to a superior officer's outburst. That's when Anakin got between them, placing a hand on Sev and Rex's chest, keeping them apart. "Everyone take it easy," Anakin said. He turned to Boss. "Sergeant, take your men and scout the area for a tower entrance. I want to speak to my captain for a minute".

Boss waved his hand around, motioning for his squad to rally on him. They walked down the rock formation and began scouting the area, leaving Rex and Anakin alone.

"Rex," Anakin said before he sighed. "I hat to say it, but the possibility that Echo's been compromised did cross my mind".

"Sir, I have known Echo since he was apart of Domino Squad. Back when he was just a 'shiny'," Rex said, using the slang term for a rookie trooper. "He is one of the bravest trooper's I have ever worked with," he said as he took his helmet off to look his old friend in the eye. "I mean, sure he can test your nerve, repeating every order like you're deaf, but I can tell you this: He would rather die than turn against the Republic."

Anakin had his arms crossed over his chest as he continued his heart to heart discussion with the veteran clone captain.

"I'm sure you're right. But Rex, if for some reason it turns out that he ... is ... working for the separatists ... " Anakin said, carefully choosing his words.

"Then we'll deal with it," Rex said with a frustrated look on his face. " **I'll** do what has to be done. **Not** the Deltas. Just promise me that sir," Rex pleaded.

Anakin looked at the captain with stoicism. But in his eyes were a hint of sorrow. He nodded in agreement.

It was the least he could do for his old comrade.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Purkell City, Skako Minor_.

High above the methane rich clouds of Skako Minor, the Skakoan people continued to carry on with their lives, oblivious to the war that their planet was, officially, neutral in. But despite their neutrality, and aside from some slimy back-door dealings with the CIS, the Skakoans pursued a policy of armed neutrality, and they threatened to join the CIS should the Republic violate their sovereignty.

Battle droids created by the Techno Union patrolled the city, while massive Octuptarra droids used their jets to hover above the clouds, keeping an eye out for any suspicious activity.

But, unbeknownst to the Skakoans, Republic forces would not be entering the city from above, where the defenses were most robust. Rather, it would be far below the methane clouds, at the base of the tower, where little to no security was allocated.

At the base of one of the massive spires, Delta Squad was standing watch while one of their members, Fixer, played around with the controls for a maintenance access hatch. Boss, Sev, and Scorch scanned the horizon for any suspicious activity. That's when Boss spotted two silhouettes off in the distance, obscured by the methane fog.

Boss waved two gloved finger at the rapidly approaching shapes, prompting the rest of Delta to train their weapons on them. But when they saw that the shapes were that of General Skywalker and Captain Rex, the squad leader held up his fist, causing his comrades to lower their weapons.

Anakin and Rex ran out of the fog and up to the commandoes at the door.

"We're in business General. Fixer regained Echo's signal," Boss said as he turned to the maintenance hatch. He pointed to the door. "It's coming from this tower. How's it going Fixer?"

The squad's tech/hacking expert continued pressing buttons on the small door panel on the side of the door. "Very close now," he said as the red panel beeped every time his rapidly moving fingers tapped it.

Anakin and Boss looked at each other. Anakin's look was one of concern, while Boss', even with a helmet, was one of reassurance. No one was better at hacking than Fixer. "Are you sure he can get us in without setting off the alarm?" Anakin asked, somewhat uninspired. Rex looked at him with added concern. That's when the panel beeped and the door opened without setting off an alarm.

"Alright. We're in," Fixer said.

Scorch looked at Skywalker. "You were saying?" He asked.

But Anakin ignored him and began to move inside with the team. As the door opened, the other clones turned and pointed their weapons down the corridor.

Sev moved in first, pointing his rifle down the dark corridor. He scanned the area. When he deduced that the coast was clear, he turned towards the rest of the strike team, and gave them a nod. This prompted them to move inside. They walked in and manned the elevator, which began to ascend towards their objective.

* * *

Inside the elevator, the clone stood by, ready to get to work as soon as the doors opened. Of coarse, Anakin wanted to get something straight with them.

"Remember: This is a stealth mission. No blasting. No blowing things up," Anakin said while looking at Scorch. "Nobody knows we're here. Got it?"

"Affirmative sir," Fixer said.

"Not us," Sev said.

"You got it General," Scorch said.

Boss scuffed. "What? We weren't going to do anything rash," he said. "Relax General. We know when to put a lid on it," the squad leader said reassuringly before he turned back towards the elevator door.

Suddenly, the elevator came to a complete stop, and the hatch opened up to reveal multiple D-wing battle droids, which were taller battle droids with multiple limbs, retractible wings, and several blasters from their many limbs.

The droids and clones looked at each other for a few agonizing seconds.

"Intruders. Attack." One of the droids ordered.

The other droids produced dual blasters from their shoulder limbs, pointing them at the Republic intruders.

Without a thought, the commandoes charged out of the elevator and began blasting, slicing, and beating the droids into submission. Anakin raised his hand, trying to get them to hold on for a moment. But he was ignored. He looked at Boss, who shrugged his shoulders and went to join his men. He blasted a canister, which exploded, blasting several droids out of the side of the building.

As the battle raged outside of the elevator, Rex and Anakin looked at each other.

"So much for stealth," Rex said before they joined the fight.

The commandoes expertly fired precision shots into the upgraded battle droids, downing several of them. Scorch pointed his rifle down a hallway, mowing down several droids, and keeping them from entering the fight.

Sev shifted his sniper rifle from droid to droid, dropping them with precision fire.

That's when Fixer and Boss cornered the remaining droids. They used their wrist blades to cut the droids apart, before blasting them at point blank range.

"WEEHAHAHAHAH!" Scorch laughed out loud, both triumphantly and almost childishly. But then he realized that the fight was over and everyone was looking at him. "Uh, sorry," he said with embarrassment. "I guess I got a little excited".

He joined the squad, who all gathered around Anakin, who didn't even have to activate his sword.

"I don't know how," Anakin said with dumbstruck surprise. "But it looks like we're still under the radar."

"Yeah, well for how much longer?" Fixer asked.

"Alright boys. Let's hunt some droids," Boss said as he walked off.

"Huh. My thoughts exactly. Just point me to the enemy, and stay out of my way," Sev said.

"I think Sev has an anger problem," Scorch quipped.

"I think you may have an intelligence problem," Sev countered.

"Stow it Deltas," Fixer ordered.

* * *

Throughout the facility, Battle droids continued to patrol the corridors. They marched back and forth, their robotic limbs clanking against the steel deck. But they still didn't realize that the tower had been infiltrated.

Off to the side, a maintenance hatch opened. Boss and Rex peaked around the corner to see 4 droids. All of which had their backs turned. They jumped out of cover and blasted the four droids with their dual sidearms, killing all of them at the same time.

When it was all clear, Anakin walked out. He was followed by Fixer and the rest of the team.

"Okay, so where exactly is Echo's signal coming from?" Anakin asked.

Fixer checked the scanner on his wrist. "Hm, strange. I lost the signal again," he said.

Rex was caught off guard.

"What? How can that be? There's no atmospheric disturbances up here," he said.

Fixer played with the settings on his wrist comm. "Hmm. I think I might know how that's possible. The signal may only be active during data transmissions. So until Echo dispenses more intel, I can't trace the signal".

"Okay. We're splitting up. Search every door. If someone finds Echo, contact the rest of us. We go in together. Just in case there's trouble," Anakin ordered before he walked off.

That's when the clones began to spread out and rush down the corridor in either direction. Everyone got to work, checking every door and access port that they could find.

Anakin checked his own door, while Sev checked the one next door. He went through, entering a room full of conduits and mainframes. He walked in slowly. That's when he heard clicking and servos whining. He turned back to see where the sound was coming from.

Nothing.

He continued further into the room.

He heard the sound again.

That's when two D wing droids corned him in the tight spacing.

"Halt. Drop your weapon. You are surrounded," the droid blocking the way he came in said.

That's when Anakin activated his lightsaber just in time to start deflecting the laser bolts that the droids began firing. He swung his blade, deflecting the rounds and cutting the mainframes apart as he defended himself.

_'This is just great'_.

* * *

As Rex and the Deltas continued checking the doors, as per Skywalker's orders, Fixer's wrist device began blinking again.

"Sirs, I found Echo's signal again," he said, getting everyone else's attention. "It's coming from up ahead".

He led Rex and the others to where the signal was originating.

That's when they came across a door.

"In there," Boss said as he pointed at the double door that the signal led to.

* * *

Anakin continued to fight in the tight space he was cornered into. He continued to block and deflect whatever the grid sent his way, usually destroying them with their own firepower.

He turned and rushed towards a droid, slicing it in half.

That's when another droid behind him began tom sight up on him. But before it could attack, or Anakin could block, a blue blaster bolt struck the droid in its back, causing it to collapse and die, revealing the one who killed him.

Anakin looked to see Sev standing at the entrance with his smoking rifle in hand.

The two of them nodded towards one another before they went to join the rest of the squad.

* * *

Rex walked up to the silver door and rapped on it with his fist.

He turned around. "Fixer, open this door," he ordered.

But before Fixer could do anything, a voice came in from out of no where.

" _I'm afraid that will not be possible_ ," the voice said.

It was coming from a flickering screen that was right next to the door, which the squad looked at. The screen eventually showed an image of Wat Tambor, the leader of the Techno union. "You clones are so predictable".

"Wat Tambor," Rex said, with venom in his voice.

" _Admiral Trench warned me of a clone special operations unit. Fortunately, your algorithm predicted every move you made to infiltrate Purkell. And in doing so, you violated the_ _neutrality of the Techno Union"_.

Rex got in front of the screen and looked at Tambor.

"You lost your neutrality when you brought a Republic prisoner here," Rex accused.

Tambor was confused. Or at least, he acted as such.

_"Prisoner? I don't know what you mean Captain. All I know is that you played the part I wanted you too ... perfectly,_ " Tambor said snidely.

Rex leaned in and pointed at the screen that Tambor was on, threateningly.

"You'll never get away with this Tambor".

" _Yes I will_ ," Tambor said. " _Because the truth dies with your special unit_ ".

Suddenly, as if to prove Tambor's point, the clones could hear clanking noises behind them. The commandoes turned around to see a few dozen droids blocking the way they came in. When they stopped, they activated their dual blasters and pointed them at the clones.

Rex and the commandoes assumed a defensive stance, ready to fight off the droids.

" _Execute them!_ " Tambor ordered.

And the droids were about to. But they never would. Because before they had the chance, over half of the droids were pushed down the corridor from an invisible force. They soon realized that it came from Skywalker, who just arrived with Sev. The remaining droids turned around to engage this new threat.

But they were no match for the Chosen One, who expertly swung his blade from side to side, cutting through the Techno Union droids with relative ease. The commandoes joined in. Scorch fired his grenade launcher, taking out a cluster of droids. That's when Fixer, Rex, and Boss charged in with guns blazing and blades piercing. Sparks and fuel sprayed every from the damaged droids.

As Boss was cutting the head off of a droid, several more were about to jump him. But that's when one's head exploded. They turned to see Sev charging at them. They fired, but Sev dropped to the ground just in time to dodge the blasts. And as he slid across the ground, he fired up at the remaining droids, blasting them to bits. He stopped in front of another droid and he swiftly bashed it in the torso with the butt of his rifle, knocking it back far enough for him to maneuver his rifle for a kill shot, which but the droid down for good.

Anakin forced pushed the last droid against the wall, and when it fell to the deck, he swiftly plunged his lightsaber into the droid. The area was clear.

But that's when dozens of more droids were on their way from either end of the corridor. Blaster fire slammed into the wall on either side of the entrance. Anakin and the clones took up position on either side, ready to fight off the droids.

"Fixer, open that door for Rex," Anakin ordered.

"Yes Sir," he said as he ran to the door.

Boss and Rex shared a look. "I hope you find what you're looking for captain". Rex nodded and ran over to the door. He turned his back to the door so that he could cover Fixer, who was slicing into the door's access panel.

That's when he pressed a final button, and the red panel lit up green, meaning that it was unlocked. As the battle went into full swing outside, Rex and Fixer ran inside and saw a second door. But this one was already unlocked. They ran through and saw a fairly large control room. A walkway went up the center of the room. On either side of the walkway were power conduits and mainframes that were built into the floor and hooked up to the control terminals at the back of the room. The computers buzzed and beeped with the transfer of information that travelled back and forth from the terminals.

But the strange thing was that there was no one inside. Everything was either automated or everyone was on break, or fled in terror.

Rex and Fixer moved deeper into the room and came up on the control center. They noticed a brown capsule on the back wall with what seemed to be a window of some kind. But on closer inspection, it seemed like all of the equipment was hooked up to this pod. The two clones looked at the capsule with caution and confusion.

"I don't like the look of this," Fixer said. That's when he looked at one of the computer consoles and ran up to it. He began working on the keyboard, trying to see what the terminals were for, and maybe even find out what the pod was for. As he worked on the terminal and Rex looked at the pod with interest, a gassy substance appeared to be escaping the capsule, as if Fixer was causing that to happen. "I'm definitely picking up a lifeform in there. It seems to be a stasis chamber. I think I can get it open".

As Fixer worked on getting it open, Rex took a curious, yet cautious, step towards the pod. That's when the pod suddenly opened up in response to Fixer pulling a lever of some kind. The pod's double doors opened, releasing carbon gas from inside the pod. The gas obscured his vision temporarily, but he could make out something, or someone, inside of the capsule.

That's when a humanoid figure was nearly dumped out of the pod, but it didn't fall far, for it, or he, was suspended to the inside of the pod by cables and wires that appeared to be hooked up to his head. On closer inspection, Rex noticed that the the humanoid figure was a human. A Jango Fett clones human. It was missing a hand, which was replaced by what looked like an astromech computer interface, and the clone had robotic legs that replaced about 80% of his human legs. His twitching eyes looked lifeless as he stared up at the ceiling, as if he wasn't aware of Rex's presence.

Rex looked up in stricken horror at the abomination in front of him.

"Echo?" Rex asked, almost speechless. He climbed up onto the terminal to try and help the poor trooper down. "Fixer, we've gotta get him out of here," Rex said. Fixer nodded and rushed to the terminal. "Figure out how to unplug him from ... from this mess".

Rex gently pulled Echo out of the capsule, dragging several cables out with him, before setting him down. The veteran clone captain pulled his helmet off and set it down, so that he could look at the trooper with his own eyes. He shook his head.

"What have they done to you?"

That's when Echo sat up straighter and leaned forward, as if reacting to Rex's words. " _We...we have to get to the shuttle. Escape the Citadel_ ," Echo said weakly, still apparently living in the past, when he sacrificed himself to try and help the others escape. Then he jolted up suddenly. " _NO! I'll go first. No,_ " Echo said as he reached his hand out and continued babbling, prompting Rex to interrupt him.

"Echo? Echo! It's Rex. I'm here," Rex said, gently pushing Echo against the wall to let him relax. But as Echo began t relax, he continued babbling.

" _No, I'll go first. No_." Echo continued. But then he stopped and slowly looked up at Rex, looking into his eyes. "R-Rex?" Echo asked weakly as he reached up to touch Rex's face, but barely brushed his shoulder before his remaining hand dropped to the ground. "You-you came back for me?"

Rex looked like he was about to cry.

"Yes. Yes I did," he replied assuringly.

Echo looked around him. "Wha-what happened? Whe-where am I?"

Rex reached down and pushed Echo's hand down, trying to get him to relax, while Fixer continued to run around the room, checking the equipment, and trying to see how they can free Echo.

"It's okay Echo. You're safe now. Just sit tight trooper," Rex said as he looked into Echo's eyes and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

Echo continued to look up at his old clone captain, hanging on his every word.

"Where's Fives?" Echo asked.

Rex was taken aback when asked about his dead friend.

"Don't worry about that now. You're going home".

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well folks, that's chapter 2, and part 2 of Bad batch arc with Delta Squad instead. I'll get part 3 up soon.
> 
> But until then, feel free to leave a kudos, or bookmark the story, and be sure to send me your feedback in the review section.
> 
> This is Grubkiller, over and out.


	3. Precious Cargo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have no fear, Grubkiller is here.
> 
> Hey ladies and gents. This is part 3 of this story
> 
> It'll be a blast.
> 
> Anyway, please enjoy, and feel free to give me your feedback in the comment section. I want to know how you feel about the story so far.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

* * *

_On an unsanctioned mission to rescue ARC trooper Echo, General Skywalker, Captain Rex, and the elite commandoes of Delta Squad travel to Skako Minor, headquarters of the Techno Union._

_But after rescuing the long lost Echo, our heroes infiltrate the city of Purkell, only to find themselves surrounded by Wat Tambor's forces..._

* * *

_Purkell City, Skako Minor_.

In the corridors of the Techno Union headquarters, a squad of Republic commandoes were fighting desperately to hold their position against what appeared to be a never-ending wave of D-wing class battle droids.

The skinny droids marched forward, firing their shoulder mounted blasters at the clones.

3 of the 4 Deltas were holding the line. They were soon joined by Anakin and Rex, who came in swinging. The "Hero with no Fear" used his lightsaber to expertly deflect any blaster bolts that came his way, sending them straight back at the droids who fired them.

Delta 07, Sev, used the sniper mode for his rifle with deadly efficiency. He fired one shot through the cranium of a battle droid, killing it. But the bolt kept going. It hit the wall and bounced off of it, redirecting it into another droid. The bolt went through that droid and bounced off of the opposite wall, sending it into yet another droid.

Sev and Delta 62, Scorch, looked at each other. Sev shrugged his shoulders and gestured, as if trying to impress Scorch.

"Okay, that was impressive," Scorch said as he reached for a Geonosian sonic grenade. "But let me show you how it's really done". He then tossed the grenade at a group of charging battle droids. The grenade stuck to the chest of the lead droid. It didn't explode, but it started ticking.

"What's that?" One droid asked.

"I don't know," the stuck droid said.

"Should we get it off?" Another one asked.

But that's when the grenade detonated. It released a sonic wave that overtook each droid, blasting them to bits in several different directions.

Behind Sev and Scorch, were Anakin, Boss, and Rex. Anakin continued deflecting lasers with his sword, while Boss and Rex blasted the crap out of the droids. Boss was using his standard DC-17 rifle, firing rapid fire blaster bolts at the droids. As he kept firing, the charging droids were cut down. But the small tibanna gas power back on the side was quickly draining. The blue light on the magazine was rapidly disappearing. When the light was gone, the rifle clicked.

Boss was about to reach for a new gas mag from his utility belt when droid stood right in front of him. Acting quickly, Boss lunged forward, getting underneath the droid's guns just as it fired. As his wrist blade extended, he delivered a swift uppercut that he used to plunge his blade straight up into the droid's head. It sparked and died in Boss's hands.

Just as he was about to but it down, another wave of droids came the hall. Without thinking, he reached for one of his sidearms and pulled the dead droid up to use as a human shield while blasting the charging droids with his lone sidearm. He managed to down three droids before Anakin shouted to him over the sounds of battle.

"Three-eight! We're gonna check on the others inside. Can you guys handle this?" Anakin asked.

"HA! Is a Trandoshan fat and ugly?" He asked as he continued firing his sidearm.

Anakin was caught off guard from the unexpected remark.

"Uhm ... take that as a _'yes'_. He said before following Rex into the control room.

Boss kicked his droid shield into a group of new droids. The dead droid caused them to trip, slowing them down. This allowed Boss to reach for his second sidearm.

"Come on you skinny metal bastards. Come and get me!" He taunted as he started sending double the firepower down range.

* * *

Anakin and Rex ran inside the control room to meet up with Fixer, who was working on getting Echo's body 'unplugged' from the stasis chamber that he's been wired to for God knows how long.

"Situation's almost under control out there," Anakin said as he came to a halt. "How's it going in here?"

Fixer turned to Skywalker, who had his arms crossed over his chest. He took his helmet off to speak to him directly.

"I'm still trying to decrypt Echo's cerebral interface," he said before turning back to the computer. "Until I do, we can't disconnect him from the system".

Anakin sighed. Then he looked down at saw that Rex was kneeling down next to Echo, making sure to keep the groggy clone company. Anakin felt sad for Rex. This was one of his closest comrades. He's known Echo since he was just a rookie on Rishi.

"How is he Rex?" He asked.

Rex got up and turned to Anakin.

"He's too weak to walk," Rex said as he pulled his helmet off. "Very disoriented. He doesn't know how he got here. He remembers being at the Citadel, but that's it".

"Any word from Delta Squad's advisor?"

"We called it in, but no response. We must still be getting some interference from the atmosphere. Or the Seps are jamming us from inside. No way to know for sure until we get outside," Rex said.

That's when the door to the control room opened. They could see the Deltas being pushed inside the room by the droids outside. They were firing their blasters wildly, trying to hold the droids off. When the commandoes were inside, Sev bashed his armored elbow against the door controls, causing the doors to slam shut behind them.

But then Anakin realized that that door was the only way in or out that they knew of.

"Uh, on second thought, we might be here for a while," Rex said.

Anakin dropped his head and sighed. "Figures".

Back at the door, the commandoes struggled to keep the doors shut, but the droids weren't making it easy for them.

"We've got several more squads of droids heading our way. We're gonna be competely boxed in if we don't get out of here," Boss said.

The two doors began to open up, allowing one droid to poke his head through it. "In the name of the Techno Union, you will drop your weapons and surrend-deeeeeerrrrrrr!" The droid screamed as Scorch used his hands to rip the droid's head off of its scrawny shoulders.

With the droid out of the way, the commandoes shut the doors. Boss reached into his utility belt and reached for a pair of small lasers cutters. He tossed one to Sev, and they began to use them on the seam that divided the door, melting the two halves together.

As Sev and Boss secured the door to the control room, Anakin stood up and called out to the rest of the team.

"Alright, listen up. We can't get word out to our boys upstairs until we get outside and signal for extraction. So we're on our own until then," Anakin said. So let's get ready to move".

Fixer turned from the computer and raised his hand. "Sir, I've got a problem here: Echo can't be moved".

"You still haven't cracked that interface?" Rex asked.

"I did. But that's not the problem," Fixer said. "But now it looks like most of his bodily functions, pulmonary, respiratory, you name it, are all being controlled by some kind of computer activated brain waves. Until I can bypass it somehow, Echo can't be moved."

Anakin and Rex looked at each other. "I'll see if I can buy us some time," Anakin said as he ran towards the entrance where Delta was just about done sealing it.

* * *

Outside of the Core room, the droids were gathered outside, making sure nothing got in or out without them having any say in the matter.

As they stood guard, Wat Tambor and two of his colleagues were walking over.

"Status report," Tambor ordered.

One of the droids turned to him. "The intruders are trapped in the Core system room. There is no escape".

Tabor continued moving towards the door.

"Prepare the organic decimator".

Tambor's two colleagues were in possession of a floating sphere of some kind. They pressed a button on it and its photo-receptor glowed red. It was activated and ready to do it's master's will.

Wat Tambor looked at it with pride. But while he admired the contraption, his moment of glory was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Tambor!"

All of the droids reacted to the voice and turned their weapons in its direction. But they found that it was coming from the screen next to the door controls. The screen showed Anakin Skywalker.

Most Separatist leaders were afraid of Skywalker. But Tambor turned to face the screen. "If you are calling to beg for your release Skywalker, you are waisting your time, and mine," Tambor said, facing the screen to look Skywalker in the eye.

"I don't beg Tambor," Anakin said as he took a step back from the screen and crossed his arms. "But I'll bargain".

Tambor merely laughed.

"We don't want your credits. That clone was purchased from the Separatists after it's capture. It is a research tool and legal property of the Techno Union," Tambor said coldly. "Now ... honor the neutrality that your senate provided us, and surrender at once," Tambor said as he closed his fist.

Anakin as unamused. He leaned forward into the camera.

"Your neutrality is a joke. You're working for the Separatists!"

One of Tambor's colleagues continued working on the floating orb. Antennas popped out of it. "The organic decimator is ready sir".

"Excellent! I will show you, Skywalker, why neutrality in the war is more lucrative for the Techno Union," Tambor said before he turned to his subordinates. "Bring in a test subject".

Several droids brought in a red skinned humanoid that was restrained. It was one of the primitive beings that were native to Skako's surface.

"We develop many technologies here. And we offer them to the highest bidder," Tambor said. "You will see how the organic decimator will make an excellent weapon for a droid army against clones".

Anakin reacted when he realized that the terrified native was going to be made a victim of Tambor's new death dealer. "STOP! You can't!"

"Oh but I can. The Techno Union owns everything on this planet. including the primitives," Tambor said before he turned towards his subordinates. "Active the decimator".

One of the Techno Union scientists pressed a button on the spherical machine. Several electric purple tentacles reached out from the small antennas on top and on the bottom of the medium sized orb, and they began to move around, as if looking for prey.

The tentacles streamed over the droids, but ignored them.

"The energy tentacles seek out organic matter. When one of them finds its target..." Tambor said as one of the tentacles washed over the terrified native. "...the rest of them zero in." As Tambor said this, every single tentacle swiftly attached themselves to the native, who was screaming in terror. "And then all organic material is vaporized".

Suddenly, the screaming native glowed purple and then disintegrated. The binders that were used to restrain the native fell to the ground. It landed with a clatter next to a pile of dust that used to be the living native.

Anakin looked on in stunned horror.

A very pleased Tambor looked back towards the screen that had Skywalker's face on it. "You can surrender Skywalker, or you can become my next test subject. The choice is yours".

Back inside the Core systems room. An enraged Anakin slammed his fist against the button beneath the screen, causing Tambor's face to disappear. Boss and Sev were still using their laser cutters to melt the door shut. "No luck," Boss said.

Anakin pointed to Sev. "We have to get out of here, fast," Anakin said as he rushed back towards Fixer, Rex, and Echo.

Sev nodded and stopped melting the door. He pressed a button on the side of his helmet. He switched to a different visor mode. For the most part, everything was gray and fuzzy. But then he saw dozens of light blue blobs in front of the door. He was using his visor to detect heat signatures. He then scanned to the left and saw a couple dozen more blue spots approaching. A quick scan to the right showed him another blue blob approaching from the right.

"Enemy approaching. Droids. Lots of them," Sev said as he switched back to his normal visor mode.

"How long do you think you can hold them off?" Anakin asked.

Boss looked back over his shoulder as he was about done melting the doors shut. "How long do you need?"

Anakin turned around and pointed at Fixer, who was still working on getting Echo unhooked from the system. "Fixeerrrrr ... how much longeerrrr?"

"Not yet. I need more time," Fixer said as he continued tapping the terminal's keypad, but a little more frantically.

* * *

Back outside, two fresh columns of droids were approaching from either end of the corridor. The droid leader walked up to Wat Tambor.

"We have them completely surrounded sir," he said.

"Good. Send in the decimator," Tambor ordered before he stepped off to the side.

One of the scientists pressed a button on the back of the droid, allowing the menacing bot to approach the locked door.

When it was in front of the door, a red beam shot out of it's photo-receptor. It connected with the door. The beam then separated and began to curve downward, cutting a circle into the door, in order to reach it's prey on the other side.

* * *

Back on the Republic side of the door, Boss was just finishing up with melting the door shut, when spark began to fly into his armored face. The annoyed commando looked up to see a laser cutting the door open on the other side.

Realizing that the door wouldn't hold for much longer, he ran back and slammed his fist against the door controls, causing the second door to slam shut. And then, once again, Boss and Sev went to work, melting the double door's seam together.

Meanwhile, Fixer was still on the computer. That's when he turned around. "Got it! You should be able to unplug him now," he said.

Rex walked over to Echo, who turned around. There were three green wires plugged into the back of his head. When Rex unplugged the last one, compressed air escaped the socket that the plug just occupied. When this happened, Echo grunted and collapsed against the computer terminal. He then sat down and rested his head against the wall.

"Rex!" He grumbled.

Rex kneeled in front of him, worried. "What is it?"

Echo then started coughing into his fist. "I got a big headache." He then chuckled.

"Better to feel something than nothing old buddy," Rex said.

"It's a touching reunion guys, but we need to get out of here now!" Anakin said with his arms crossed.

Echo coughed again before he pointed up behind Anakin. "There's ... an exhaust vent that ... leads to the cooling systems, right there".

Anakin and the clones looked up to where Echo was pointing.

"I didn't see that on the schematics," Fixer said.

"Well don't forget. I've been plugged in here for a while," Echo said as everyone continued looking at the vent.

* * *

Back outside the door, the decimator had just finished cutting a hole into the first door. It floated through and began cutting through the second door. Wat Tambor and the other scientists looked through the hole in the first door.

Tambor couldn't help but fell pleased with himself. If he killed the commandoes and the 'Hero with no Fear' then the Count would reward him handsomely. The decimator need only cut through one last door.

_'It won't be long now'_.

* * *

"They've breached the first door. It won't be long until they're through the second," Boss said, as he and Sev were covering the door.

Back at the control terminal, Echo was using the computer interface (which replaced his hand) to plug into the vent controls. He banged his fist on the terminal somewhat impatiently. But then a red light flashed green, showing that the door was successfully opened.

"That should get it open," Echo said.

He was right. The door above them was opening. There was just one problem: It was 20 feet above them.

"Great. Now how do we get up there?" Sev asked.

"Leave that to me," Skywalker said before he raised his hands. For a moment, nothing happened. But then, Boss suddenly felt an invisible force surround him and gently lift him off of the ground. "Hey what a minute-," He tried to say before Anakin used the force to fling him up into the shaft. "Whoa!" Delta 38 flew up into the shaft and outstretched his limbs so that he could grab onto the grooves that were carved into the shaft, keeping himself from falling.

His Squad looked up at him. "Hey Lead, you okay up there?" Scorch asked.

"I'm fine. But a heads up would've been nice General," he complained.

Anakin smiled and shook his head.

"Now where's the fun in that?"

* * *

Back outside, Wat Tambor and his subordinates, along with a few dozen droids, were still waiting for the door to open.

"The door is nearly breached sir," one of the scientists said.

Wat Tambor merely looked at him. Deep down, he felt as though the Republic team was up to something. But then he decided to ignore the feeling.

* * *

Back in the core systems room, Anakin continued to fling clone troopers up into the vent one by one.

"WHOA!" Rex shouted as he flew up into the vent. He wrapped onto the grooves inside of the vent in order to start climbing. He was following Boss, Sev, and Fixer, who was giving Echo a lift as he climbed out.

Anakin was about to give Scorch a lift. But Scorch hesitated for a moment. He was looking at the terminals, the mainframes, and the Pod that Echo has been plugged into for over a year and a half.

"You ready Scorch?" Anakin asked.

Scorch held up his finger. "Hold on. Just give me a second. I'll catch up".

Anakin was confused when scorch pulled out some grenades. The explosive happy trooper throwing them around the room.

"Scorch, what are you doing?"

"I'm putting an end to Tambor's little science project".

Anakin jumped up into the shaft with the rest of the squad. He then looked down and called out to Scorch,

"Are you done? Time's up," Anakin said.

As soon as Scorch threw his last detonator, he stood underneath the vent. That's when he heard the sound of clanging. He turned around just in time to see the organic decimator hover through the door it just carved open. as soon as it activated its energy tentacles, Anakin reached out with the force and began to pull Scorch up out of the death trap that the control room had become. Anakin quickly lifted the commando out of the room, but paused his ascent in order to help Scorch dodge the energy tentacles that stretched out across the room. Just as the beams were about to find Scorch and the rest of the squad, the door closed behind him, letting the beams pass over the vent cover harmlessly.

* * *

For another few moments, the Skakoans and the droids watched through the hole of the two doors as the decimator continued to search for victims. They saw the beams moving everywhere, searching every nook and cranny possible.

But for some reason, they had yet to hear the screams of Republic victims being vaporized.

Then suddenly, the droid shut off, retracting its energy beams.

Everyone was confused.

"What happened? Why did it shut off?" Wat Tambor asked, prompting one of the droids to take another look at the room.

The droid looked back at Tambor.

"No organic targets were found sir." The droid took another look inside the room. "The room appears to be empty".

"That is impossible!" Tambor exclaimed furiously as he shoved the droid out of the way so that he could see for himself. His two colleagues looked over his shoulders to get a peak.

That's when Tambor saw the explosives laid out across the room. Their beeping was becoming more and more frequent.

"On no".

Then they exploded. The blast wiped out everything in the room, including the organic decimator. Then the blast travelled through towards the doors. The conclusive force blasted the doors away from the room, and it also threw Tambor and his colleagues several feet in the same direction. They were knocked to the ground. And that's when the smoke poured out of the room, engulfing the corridor and obscuring everyone's vision.

Tambor propped himself up and and stared at the room in enraged contemplation.

That's when one of the droids kneeled down next to him.

"Uhm, orders sir?" The droid asked. But Tambor wasn't in a mood. He shoved the droid's face away so that he could continue to look at the room in front of him.

Moments later, Tambor was inspecting the room with the others. They sifted through the debris. Of course, Tambor was sifting through his hopes and dreams which were nothing but smoking and sparking rubble.

"My machines. My beautiful machines! Years of research, gone!" Tambor bemoaned.

He then turned to the droids in the room.

"Find them!"

* * *

The squad continued to trek through the ventilation system. The tubes were large enough for the strike team to move around freely, for the most part. They pointed their weapons down the shafts, prepared to put down anything that got in their way.

"Looks like these ventilation corridors act as coolant systems for all the computers in this facility," Fixer said.

"How did you know it was up here Echo?" Anakin asked the trooper that Rex was propping up as they walked.

"Well...they got access to my memory. But I got access to the Techno Union data base. all of their plans, inventories, building schematics...everything," Echo said.

As the squad continued to trek through the corridors, Boss was trying to raise the transport up in orbit.

"Can anyone read me? Mayday Mayday Mayday, this is Delta 38. Can anyone read me?' Boss asked as he spoke into his helmet comm. But all he got was static. He tried again. "Advisor, do you read me? This is Delta lead, if you can here me, we need immediate extraction. If you can hear this: then respond immediately."

He let go of the button on his helmet comm, but all he got back was static.

The squad leader sighed.

"I think we're on our own," He said before he turned around and faced Echo. "You think that you can use that info you mentioned to find us a safe way out of here?"

Echo stood up on his own. "Well...there's a way. Heh! But you're not gonna like it".

Everyone looked at him with interest.

* * *

A few moments later, Anakin opened a door. As soon as he did, he could feel the howling wind blast into the corridor, making a whistling sound as it filled into the corridor. He saw as the lightning continued to crackle with no sign of it stopping.

But that's not the part that unsettling.

Far from it in fact.

They exited the building onto a small maintenance platform at the base of the bulbous section on top of the spire, which was thousands of feet above the surface of Skako Minor.

The building was connected to an identical building by a couple sky-bridges. But they weren't by either of them. Instead, the only way they could get across was a brown pipe that extended across the chasm, connecting the two buildings.

Everyone looked out over the chasm, immediately unsettling them.

"I don't know about this," Rex said as he looked at the pipe that they were obviously about to take.

"I'm telling you," Echo said, pointing at the building across from them. "There's a landing pad on that other building".

Boss, who was still in the ventilation corridor with his squad, hovered over Echo's shoulder. "So you think there's a ship there we can steal?"

Echo looked over his shoulder at Boss. "Well I hope there's a ship we can steal," Echo said as Anakin started moving across the pipe.

"Let's hope this mission isn't for nothing," Boss said.

That's when Echo moved out onto the pipe. He was followed by Rex.

Boss stepped onto the ledge where the pipe began. Then he hesitated. His squad-mates looked over his shoulder. "We're right behind you Three-eight," Sev said. Boss nodded and started on the pipe. He was immediately followed by Sev, Fixer, and Scorch.

Everyone had their arms outstretched to increase their balance.

They were about a fifth of a way across when Fixer spoke up.

"So what do you think the odds are of us getting across in one piece?" He asked.

"Are you seriously asking that Fixer?" Scorch asked.

"Yeah. Do you really wanna know?" Sev asked.

"Duuhhhh, negative on that one Deltas," Fixer said.

Scorch then looked down, and saw that their were probably a few thousand yards between them and the surface. He almost lost his balance.

"Whoa-ho whoa! I think I'm gonna be sick," he said.

"Hang on boys. We're almost there," Boss said.

But as Boss said that, when they were about halfway across, several D-wing droids began to exit pour out of the maintenance hatch on the other side. They soon began to cross over on the pipe, effectively cutting off the strike force from the other building.

"Turn around!" Anakin yelled as he ignited his lightsaber. "Go back!"

The commandoes began to turn around. But before they could start creeping back to their original starting point, they discovered that more droids began to pour out of the ventilation corridor that were just in not two minutes ago.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good plan," Rex said.

Boss turned to him.

"Ya' think?!"

"Well, it wasn't the plan that was bad. It was the execution," Rex said.

The droids continued to walk towards the commandoes from both sides, in a single file line.

Even though the droids were the immediate threat, the atmospheric climate was a significant one as well. Lightning continued to crackle all around them. One lightning flash that was particularly close caused Sev to flinch. Then he started to lose his balance. he began to lean back. He flailed his arms to counterbalance. But then he leaned forward and tumbled off of the pipe.

Scorch caught it before anyone else. He dove past Fixer and slid off of the pipe to save his pod brother. He caught Sev by the ankle. "Gotcha!" Scorch exclaimed as he hooked his legs around an array of antennas that hung down from the bottom of the pipe.

The two commandoes swung back and forth while upside down. Scorch looked around and realized that the sky was upside down. "Somebody do something!"

Back on the pipe, the droids continued to creep forward from both buildings.

The droids opened fire.

Anakin deflected a shot back into the chest of one droid, causing it to fall off to of the pipe and plummet to the surface below.

Boss and Fixer opened fire on the droids advancing from the other end. Another droid was tagged and fell off of the pipe.

But despite any effort the Republic team made, their options were limited.

Anakin looked back over his shoulder at the clones.

"Anyone got a brilliant plan?"

Everyone looked at him in almost perfect unison. They were silent.

"I'll take that as a ' _no_ '.

The droids kept advancing, so the clones and Jedi assumed a defensive posture.

How are our heroes going to get out of this one?

When their situation seemed hopeless, they could hear buzzing and humming sounds coming from the clouds.

"What's that?" Rex asked.

His question was answered by a pair of Republic gunships shooting out of the clouds. They came in and began circling the two buildings.

"They must've got your signal," Echo stated, referring to Boss's transmission earlier.

Suddenly, a transmission was coming in for everyone to hear.

" _Delta Squad, this is Gunship wing Delta 42. We're closing in on your position now. Just sit tight_ ," came the voice of a clone pilot.

"You're late to the party, pilot!" Sev exclaimed, while still being held upside down by Scorch.

" _You should be happy I got here at all. This soup's a nightmare_ ," Four-two said, referring to the storm and the methane clouds. " _We've got a visual on you boys. Initiating firing run now"._

The Gunships began to close in and fly closer to the team. They flew right over the pipe that the team was on. As they circled overhead, the side hatches opened up and revealed clone trooper passengers that began to open fire on the D-wing droids. The droids fired back.

The droids were being shot up, and began to fall off of the pipe to their deaths below.

They seemed to be on the back foot. But suddenly, they began to fly up and swarm over the second gunship.

"Wait, those things can fly!?" Scorch asked.

"That's why their called 'D-wing' droids, Scorch. Next time read the briefing," Fixer said.

" _Alright Four-Two, you pick those boys up. We'll cover you_ ," the pilot from the second gunship said.

" _Copy that Three-Two_ ," Delta 42 said as he brought his gunship in alongside the pipe.

Echo and Rex boarded first. They, along with the clones onboard, began to fire out of the Gunships open hatches at the flying droids.

Fixer and Boss continued firing, while Anakin blocked.

Sev and Scorch fired their weapons while still hanging upside down. Scorch had to fire his rifle one handed. Scorch managed to take out a droid that was on the pipe, while Sev tracked the droids that were flying with his sniper rifle. He managed to shoot one down.

The second gunship, Delta 32, which kept circling the buildings, was still being swarmed by more D-wing droids. Despite the clones best efforts to drive of the D-wings, the gunship's engines began to heat up and start smoking from sustained droid fire. A flight of three D-wings flew in and strafed the gunship's engines, causing an explosion. the ship began to wobble and shake. " _Gah! We're hit. We're hit. I'm losing her-GAAAAHHHHH!_ " Delta 23 shouted as his gunship burst into flames before it plummeted to the ground surface below.

Everyone looked on in silent horror as the Delta 32's gunship disappeared in the methane cloud before an explosion made the green clouds glow orange.

"We've gotta get out of here, right now!" Anakin said as he boarded the ship.

The remaining gunship hovered away from the pipe and descended a few yards, to allow the others to see Sev and Scorch, who were still hanging in there.

"Hang on boys!" Anakin said before he reached out with the force.

"What did you think we were doing?" Scorch exclaimed before he and Sev were pulled into the gunship by Anakin's invisible powers.

When their squamates were out of harms way, Boss and Fixer prepared to jump off of the pipe. "See you later clankers!" Boss saluted the droids before he and Fixer dove off of the pipe and into the Gunship's passenger bay. They were helped aboard by Scorch and Sev.

"Alright pilot, we're all aboard. Let's get out of here," Anakin ordered.

" _Copy that General_ ," 42 said as he banked the gunship away from Purkell city and up into the planet's orbit.

But the droids weren't giving up that easily. Many more D-wings took flight and began to follow the ship.

* * *

"Sir, we've got company. Enemy fliers incoming!" Echo exclaimed.

Anakin looked out the side and saw that Echo was right. "Step on it pilot," Anakin ordered.

The droids fired on the gunship. Laser blasts splashed onto the hull of the Gunship, and put a few holes in it. But it kept flying away. Some of the droids sped up in an attempt to board the ship. Some of them did. Anakin used his saber to block any shot that came at them. One droid tried to board, but Echo put a laser bolt through it's cranium, forcing it to slump out of the passenger bay and plummet to the surface.

"Ya' know Rex, I think I'm starting to feel more like a trooper again," Echo said.

"You never stopped being one Echo," Rex said as he and Echo continued to defend the gunship from the fliers.

The commandoes were also hard at work trying to swat the flying droids out of the sky. Scorch downed one and shouted triumphantly.

"That was for Delta 23," Scorch shouted, referring to the other gunship pilot. "Or, or was that 32?"

The clones all kept firing on the droids, but they continued to do damage to the gunship. The engines began to trail smoke.

" _We're making too much fire boys. We can't maintain this speed and hold 'em off forever_ ," the pilot said.

Boss reached for his comm and spoke into it.

"Three-eight to Advisor. We need support here, fast. What's your location?" He asked.

That's when, out of the clouds, a Republic troop transport pierced through the clouds with all guns blazing.

" _Right here_ ," the Advisor said.

As the Gunship sped towards the much larger transport, the CR-25's guns continued to fire into the swarm of D-wing droids. Blue and black puffs of smoke exploded within the swarm, knocking several droids out of the sky at once with every shot.

The droid swarm thinned out until only one droid remained. It broke off and headed back to base.

Meanwhile, the Republic gunship docked with the transport.

"We made it everyone," Anakin said, allowing the clones to breath out a sigh of relief. "We made it".

With the strike team back on board with their precious cargo, the transport ascended into orbit and began to plot a coarse back to Anexes.

* * *

Back at the Techno Union Headquarters in Purkell City, Wat Tambor and his fellow skakoans were conversing with one another when the one droid who survived the pursuit returned to confront them.

"Sir, our forces failed to stop the Republic from escaping".

"Gah! the loss of the clone is a devastating blow to the Techno Union's profit margin," Tambor said with sadness.

"Should we inform the Separatist of our loss?" The droid asked.

"All in good time. We must find a way to recoup on our investment," Tambor said. The droid nodded and walked away.

But there was something else that needed to be considered: The Techno Union's neutrality was now, null and void. The Techno Union needed to move quickly if it wanted to keep its assets from falling into Republic hands.

* * *

The Republic transport was traveling through hyperspace, on its way back to Anexes.

Everyone from the Skako mission was unwinding.

"So what happens now Sir?" Boss asked.

"We're going back to Anexes. We still have a fight on our hands when we get back. We gotta be there if we want the Separatists driven back," Anakin said.

"What about the Techno Union?" Boss asked.

"Well, with Echo's imprisonment, I guess the Senate will vote to begin seizing Techno Union assets, before they can used by the Separatists. Either way, I think the natives on Skako are gonna have a better future when the Republic steps in".

The commandoes nodded.

Meanwhile, Rex and Echo were walking through the ship's corridors, having a conversation of their own.

"I wanted to thank you Rex, for saving me," Echo said.

"Ah, couldn't have done it without you my friend," Rex said as he lightly punched Echo's shoulder. "It's gonna be just like old times".

Echo smiled and nodded.

It was time for him to get back into the fight.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that's chapter 3 folks.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed.
> 
> I'll be working on part 4 soon.
> 
> And be sure to give me your feedback in the review section when you're done.
> 
> This is Grubkiller, over and out.


	4. Wrath of Coruscant

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey folks. Grubkiller here.
> 
> So this'll be the end of the bad batch (with Delta Squad) story.
> 
> It's gonna be awesome.
> 
> Anyway, please enjoy.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

* * *

_War rages on!_

_With ARC trooper Echo rescued from the Techno Union, the Republic returns its attention to the battle for Anaxes, where without Echo's strategic intel, Admiral Trench and the Separatists have lost the upper hand._

_But the question remains: can Echo's newfound ability to access Separatist computers help the Republic regain control of their vital shipyards?_

* * *

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Fort Anexes, planet Anexes, Axum system_.

Dark clouds loomed over Anexes.

It was as if they were a metaphor for what has been happening on the planet for several weeks now.

All across the planet, Republic and Separatist forces had fought for control over the planet Anexes, one of the Republic's most important Naval production facilities. For the great battle over this important spot on the galactic map, it was all hands on deck. Numerous warships from both sides had hammered away at each other as they blocked out the sun. Fighters had swarmed each other and had took part in a dance of death. Large troop concentrations made of flesh and blood had faced off against those made of metal and fuel.

Back at Fort Anexes, the center of the Republic's operations, Republic artillery fired balls of plasma at unseen and distant targets. But the fighters weren't lifting off to join the fight. Everything was grounded.

The Gunships, the fighters, the speeders, everything.

Even the aforementioned warships and fighters weren't seeing any action.

But the base was still buzzing with activity.

Clones marched back and forth between the base and the front line, ships were being refueled and repaired, and the wounded were being carried to the medical center.

But deep in the middle of this well-oiled machine was a land speeder that was heading for the hanger at the base of a massive cliffside that overlooked the airfield. On board was the Republic's secret weapon: A Clone ARC trooper from the 501st Legion. He was CT-21-0408, aka Echo. This clone has been in enemy captivity for over a year, subject to brutal experimentations from a Separatist aligned "neutral planet". Because of Echo, the CIS had an advantage of the Republic. But he also knew everything about the CIS' operation. He was the key to any success that the Republic would have over their adversaries.

The speeder took him to the main hanger, which was packed to the brim with Republic fighters of all kinds, all being refit and refueled for the coming battle.

Echo jumped off of the speeder and walked up the stairs to the CIC (Combat Information Center). There was a holo-table in the center of the CIC, which was surrounded by Clone officers and Jedi Generals.

Jedi Master Mace Windu, the overall commander of the Republic's forces on Anexes, paced around the holo-table in the middle of a debriefing.

"We have more than a dozen active battlefronts here on Anexes..." Windu said as he walked behind Anakin. "...and we are losing nearly everyone".

As the General spoke, a hologram of the planet appeared on the holo-table. It showed up in red, showing that it was under Separatist control. But there were patches of Republic territory marked by several blue spots. It was getting desperate for the Republic.

"But..." Windu continued. "...if Admiral Trench can no longer anticipate our moves, we now have the opportunity to retake the planet". Mace then pressed a button that replaced the model of the planet, with a model of the Separatist headquarters, a dome-like structure that they captured at the beginning of the campaign. "That is why I am proposing we send everything we have left to the assembly complex," Mace said as holographic models of the Republic fleet swarmed over the complex.

"Hm. That complex is the Separatist's most fortified position," Obi-Wan said as he studied the hologram, whilst stroking his beard thoughtfully. "What is your strategy Master Windu?"

"Air drop," he responded simply as he enlarged the hologram of the assembly complex. "Into the center of the complex. It should be easier to fight our way out, than to fight our way in," Windu reasoned as holographic Republic transports landed around the antennae array at the top of the dome.

"I can improve your chances," said a new voice from behind them.

Everyone that was looking at the holo-table turned around to see Echo approaching. He was wearing a new set of clone armor. He had a Kamas skirt around his waist, and a new helmet with an antennae on it, which he had tucked underneath his arm. But he also had a hand painted on his armor over his right pectoral. It was a spray-painted copy of the one that Rex put on him during the Rishi base incident after he killed that giant eel.

Rex could see the three Jedi and their clone officers looking at Echo through his peripheral vision.

"Uhm, if you'll excuse me Generals..." he said as he walked over to Echo, who had a medical droid beside him, checking his person for anything wrong.

He walked over to Echo, who was walking towards the holo-table. He stopped him by placing his hand on his shoulder. Echo looked at him, confused.

"Echo...I'm sorry. But I just don't think that you're ready for battle yet," Rex said with concern.

The ARC trooper just looked at him.

"I am not a liability Rex. I'm the best chance we have to take back Anexes," Echo said, trying to reassure Rex, who simply stared at Echo.

But their conversation spiked the interest of someone nearby.

"If the trooper has a plan..." Windu interrupted. "...I'd like to here it".

Echo looked at Rex. "May I?"

Rex looked at him for a split second before he withdrew his hand from Echo's shoulder and then stepped aside.

Echo then walked up to the holo-table. He had a new robot hand that replaced his interface. But one of his robotic fingers turned into an interface and he used it to plug into the holo-table. The large dome became a small dome in the center of the holo-table. He had zoomed out of the image of the assembly complex, as if to show the scale of the plan which he concocted.

"While Master Windu leads a team to retake the assembly complex, Delta Squad will escort me into Trench's new comm vault, which...according to new intel...is now located on this Separatist Dreadnought above Anexes," Echo said while everyone looked at a Providence class dreadnought model hanging above the holographic map.

Anakin and Mace shared a look as to gage what the other was thinking of Echo's proposal so far.

"Once I'm plugged in..." Echo continued, recapturing everyone's undivided attention. "...I can feed Trench strategies. But this time you'll know every move before he makes it."

With Echo finished, Obi-Wan...who had is arms crossed as he stroked his beard...decided to voice his concern

"You're assuming Wat Tambor and the Techno Union won't inform Trench that they no longer hold you or the algorithm," Obi-Wan said with concern.

"Tambor will be looking out for himself. If he divulges his failure..." Echo reasoned. "...It won't just mean a profit loss. Trench will have his head".

"And you're certain that if we get you on board that ship..." Windu cut in. "...that you can convince Trench's army to do what you want?"

"Absolutely," Echo said with confidence. "Unforetunately, I've been doing this for a while". There was regret in Echo's eyes. The entire time he was hooked into a computer, he was indirectly helping the Separatists kill his brothers on the battlefield. "But this time ... I can help bring about a Republic victory, instead of a defeat".

Windu and Kenobi both nodded in approval.

It was time to get to work.

* * *

Later on, in the hanger after the briefing, Echo walked over to Rex, to speak with him. "Uh, Captain... can I have a word?"

"Sure... what's on your mind, Echo? Is it the mission, because-"

"No..." Echo interupted, "...It's about Fives."

Rex's eyes bugged out of his head, and his heart rate began to spike up. His mouth hung open, but couldn't form any words.

"I just... want to know." Echo said, before he lowered his head.

Rex just stared at the trooper for several long heartbeats, each feeling like an eternity. But then he sighed, and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Look... Fives may no longer be with us. But do you know what is with us?" He asked, "His courage. He died doing what he thought was right. He was doing his duty... for his brothers. And with your help, you and I are going do our duty, to honor his legacy. Understood, trooper?"

Echo looked up, and nodded.

"Good," Rex said. "Now let's get to it."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Fort Anexes, airfield tarmac_.

Outside of the hanger, on the tarmac, Delta Squad was loading their shuttle with equipment.

Delta-42, the pilot that saved them on Skako Minor and who usually flew Delta Squad on their missions, boarded their shuttle to prep the engines for take off.

The commandoes were gathered around a hover cart that was filled to the brim with their equipment. There were anti-armor grenades, tibanna gas cartridges for their rifle variations and pistols, along four different types of grenades and some provisions.

As three other troopers, the co-pilot, the crew chief and the squad's advisor, looked over a manifest with the ship's equipment, each of the four commandoes grabbed a little bit of everything, but they grabbed an excess amount of their preferred weapons.

Sev grabbed more sniper rifle magazines and an extra wrist vambrace with a retractable blade.

Scorch grabbed more anti-armor grenades and thermal detonators to feed his lust for all things that go boom.

Fixer, like Sev, grabbed a second retractable blade for his wrist armor.

Boss grabbed a second sidearm to go along with the one he already had. he also grabbed some more mags for his DC-17m rifle.

As they finished gearing up, Anakin, Echo, and Rex were walking by, because they were apart of the mission. As Anakin and Echo boarded the ship, Sev, Scorch, and Fixer all went aboard when they were finished loading up.

Boss walked up to the advisor as Rex was walking up.

"Sir, are we all set to go?" Boss asked.

"Affirmative three-eight. Get aboard and get your men sorted out," Advisor said.

Boss nodded and went aboard, followed by the crew chief and the co-pilot. As the Advisor looked back at the manifest, Rex and the pilot, Delta 42, were conversing.

"I'm still not sure how we're gonna land on that ship," Four-Two said, voicing his concern.

"Don't worry," Rex said reassuringly. "Echo says he's got a plan".

"Right. That makes me feel so much better," Four-two said sarcastically as he turned towards the shuttle ramp. Rex shoved him playfully on the back to get him to move forward. Everyone got on board and the ship lifted off from the tarmac.

When it was far enough off the ground, the ship's wings unfolded and flew off into the air. It was soon in the middle of a large Republic task force. Everything from fighters and gunships, to frigates and Star-destroyers, flew up into the sky, heading towards the Assembly Complex, which was an important part of the Republic's Naval production, and the center of the Separatist's occupation of Anexes.

But Delta's shuttle wasn't joining them. They flew past the Republic assault force and flew up towards the atmosphere, which was where their mission was going to take place.

* * *

Up in orbit, the black colored _Nu-class_ shuttle exited the relative safety of Republic controlled orbit, and soon flew into the section of the Anexes' orbit that was completely locked down by the Separatist Navy.

As the Shuttle approached, the passengers and crew could see Trench's Dreadnought, which was surrounded by Frigates, Destroyers, and supply ships that provided support for the Droid Army on the ground. Tri-fighter and Vulture droids flew back and forth, patrolling the air tight perimeter that the Separatist Fleet maintained. Anything that stepped inside of Naval perimeter that didn't have a CIS insignia was going to be reduced to atoms.

But that was the whole point of stealth ... and bringing Echo on the mission.

Anakin and Rex patted Echo on his shoulders to reassure him. "Alright Echo, you're up," Anakin said as Echo walked up to a computer terminal.

"Don't worry," he said as one of his robotic fingers turned into an interface. "As soon as I plug in, I'll send a signal to the command ship. As far as the droids are concerned..." Echo said as he plugged in and began interacting with the console. "...we're just gonna be another one of their shuttles coming in for a landing".

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Separatist Dreadnought, Flagship of Admiral Trench, command deck_.

Overlooking the Separatist operations on Anexes was the bridge of Admiral Trench's dreadnought. It was full of droids that were sitting at their stations, ready to carry out whatever duty they were programmed to do.

Admiral Trench, the thing, the myth, and the legend himself, was sitting in his command chair, studying a holographic display that showed him the planet below.

At one of the control consoles near the front of the bridge, A battle droid was scanning the region for anything that was moving in or outside of Separatist controlled space. Another droid walked up to him with a data pad, which had an image of a dark gray colored Nu-class shuttle.

"We have an incoming ship. Is this one of ours?" The droid asked, showing the seated droid the display.

The seated droid leaned over to get a better look.

"It looks familiar, but we don't have it in our data base".

* * *

Back on the Republic shuttle, Echo was still plugged into the computer.

Everyone looked around, somewhat nervously, as they flew right through the mass of Separatist warships.

Rex and Anakin looked at Echo anxiously.

"Sending the signal..." Echo said with a pause. "...now".

* * *

On Trench's flagship, the two droids were still looking at the display.

The image of the Nu-class shuttle flickered out and turned into a Trade federation designed _Sheathipede_ -class shuttle.

The droids looked at each other.

"Yup. It's one of ours".

"Roger Roger shuttle TC-159. You may approach and land".

* * *

_"Roger Roger shuttle TC-159. You may approach and land"_.

Everyone on the Republic shuttle smiled at each other reassuringly.

Delta 42 flew the shuttle towards the Separatist dreadnought. It went underneath the ship and flipped upside down before folding up its wings.

Anakin turned to the troopers onboard. "Alright, Rex. You, Echo, and Delta Squad are with me. We'll go after the comm vault. Advisor, I want you to stay on this shuttle. You'll be our eyes and ears in here," Anakin said. Rex and the Advisor nodded. "We'll meet back here when the mission's over". Anakin finished, just as the landing gear attached to the hull magnetically with a loud thud.

The mission was now officially underway.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Separatist-occupied Assembly complex_.

On the surface of Anexes, the Droid Army had the Republic's Naval production facility completely locked down. Thousands of Battle droids patrolled the compound and the surrounding areas. They were supplemented by Dozens of Anti-ship batteries and turbo lasers. Swarms of Vulture Droids and Droid Gunships flew through the skies above, scanning the region for enemy activity.

The Separatist forces had the area so heavily locked down that the concept of a Republic attack seemed so foreign. A successful one even more so.

But just when everything seemed quiet, every Separatist cannon turned to face one direction. As they did so, Any Vulture droid that was on the ground jumped up into the air ad began to take flight.

A Battle Droid Commander looked through a pair of macro-binoculars just in time to see the full arsenal of the local Separatist forces being unleashed upon an approaching Republic task force, comprised of Republic Star-Destroyers, fast attack frigates, gunships, and fighters of all kinds.

In the sky, a heavy maelstrom of heavy cannon blasts surrounded the approaching Republic air and space craft. Heavy puffs of red-glowing smoke filled the sky. Swarms of Vulture droids sped towards the Republic fleet like bullets in the air, firing the blasters on the tips of their wings as they went. Several Republic gunships and fighters were shot down by the thick wall of fire that came from the air and the ground.

The escorting Z-95 Headhunters broke off to engage the Separatist Vultures and Gunships.

Inside one of the Gunships, Mace Windu watched as his assault force continued their coarse.

He activated his wrist comm.

"Rogue Leader," he said into his wrist unit. "You are clear for launch".

* * *

The lead Republic Attack Cruiser's main hanger opened up. As the door that ran the length of the ship opened up, a large flight of Y-wing bombers poured out of the ship.

" _Copy that General_ ," said the lead pilot. " _We're going in_ ".

As the lead bomber pilot said this, his fellow bombers descended until they hugged the top of the cloud cover. But when they were close enough, the Bombers dove straight down. They were right above the Assembly complex.

By the time the Droids figured out what was happening, it was too late. The Y-wings were right on top of them. They dropped their payload, carpet bombing the top of the dome structure. The orange puffy carpet of fire and shrapnel ripped right through the Separatist fortifications. Battle Droids, Vulture droid fighters, and heavy artillery pieces were blasted away.

All that remained were raging fires and piles of flaming droid wreckages.

With LZ clear, the Republic Gunships safely touched down on top of the Assembly complex's roof. Their hatches opened to reveal many heavily armed platoons of Clone Troopers. Obi-Wan and Mace jumped out of their respective ships and jumped straight down through the openings in the roof, their jetpack equipped subordinates close behind.

They fell down until they landed on top of several large storage containers. They also landed in the middle of a massive room which was filled to the brim with every type of Battle Droid model imaginable.

Every droid in the complex's interior turned towards the two Jedi, and the few clones that had followed them straight in.

They were all confused.

For a moment, nothing happened between the two opposing sides.

Until Mace broke the ice of coarse.

"My name is General Mace Windu of the Jedi Order," Mace said to a confused audience of droids, who continued to just stare at him. "At this point in the Clone War I have dismantled and destroyed over one hundred thousand of you, type-1 Battle droids," he continued, causing some droids to nervously shrug towards one another. "I am giving you an opportunity to peacefully lay down your weapons, so that you may be re-programmed to serve a better purpose than spreading the mindless violence and chaos ... which you've inflicted upon the galaxy".

Everyone...even Obi-Wan, Cody, and Ponds...looked at Windu like he was crazy.

The droids just stood there in utter confusion. That's when one of them hesitantly lifted his arm to point at the famed Jedi Master.

"Blast them!" He ordered.

Doing as they were told, every droid in the complex opened fire on the two Jedi.

The Two Jedi swiftly brought their sabers to bare, using to block and re-direct the oncoming laser bolts with expert swordsmanship. Cody, Ponds, and their men opened fire on the advancing droids.

"Well ... It was certainly worth a try," Obi-Wan said, with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

High above the Two Jedi, dozens of more clones that were on the roof were rappelling down from the holes in the roof, caused by the bombings earlier. As they rappelled down the cables they set up, they fired their blaster rifles on the way down. A rainstorm of Republic blaster fire came down on the droid forces below the descending clones. Several droids were shot down.

But many more took their place as they continued to advance on the Jedi and their ever growing clone strike force.

Troopers from the 212th Attack Battalion, the 501st Legion, and the 7th Sky Corps, poured into the complex from above, surrounding their Jedi Generals.

The final battle for Anexes was in full swing.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Trench's flagship, in orbit above Anexes production facility_.

In orbit, Admiral Trench sat on the bridge of his dreadnought as he observed the operation that was before him. As the arachnid/cyborg tapped the top of his cane against one of his six arms, a gray colored Super Tactical Droid walked up to him.

"Admiral Trench, the Jedi are attacking the assembly plant with a large force".

The Admiral turned his half cyborg, half arachnid, turned to face the droid, while still tapping his cane.

"Yes...*Tck Tck Tck*...Now I'll use their arrogance and desperation..." the General paused as he leaned back into his chair. "...to our advantage".

* * *

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the ship, a Jedi and a squad of Clone Commandoes were sneaking through the dark colored corridors of the Separatist warship.

Fixer, the squad's tech and hacking expert, was slicing into a door's control panel. "Almost there..." Fixer said as the panel beeped and changed colors. "Got it. Door should be open now".

The dual doors opened with a hiss and the Squad moved through. Anakin, Rex, Echo, and the Deltas moved quickly and stealthily through the corridors, checking and double checking their corners with their weapons raised and ready.

They were trying to make their way to a comm vault deep in the bowels of the ship. From their, Echo would be able to use the console to send fake signals to the Separatist Army, and feed them false information and hopefully screw up their order of battle.

When the commandoes reached the vault room door, the Commandoes halted at the order of Anakin.

"Here's the vault Sirs," Fixer said.

"Are you sure forty? Maybe there's another one around the corner,' Scorch joked.

"Alright. Let's get to work," Anakin said as he looked at Boss.

Delta three eight nodded his head and looked over his shoulder at Fixer before he waved his hand at the vault door. Fixer nodded and moved towards the door panel. He took the device his wrist comm and began playing with the buttons, trying to hack into the door controls. A few seconds later, the door slid open to reveal a small room with a pair of column shaped conduits. One was on the ground pointed up. The other was on the ceiling pointed down. They were connected by a purple wave of electricity.

Echo stepped into the room first. He was followed by Rex, Anakin, and Fixer. Boss, Sev, and Scorch stood guard outside. The Arc Trooper studied the conduit. There didn't seem to be any computer terminals.

He turned to Fixer.

"Hey Fixer, can you rig an interface?" Echo asked, pointing at the conduits.

Fixer nodded and kneeled before the conduit and got to work on it.

"We should also make sure that this comm vault has no other entrances," Echo suggested while turning to face Anakin.

Anakin nodded. "I'm on it," he said as he walked out of the vault.

"You're all set Echo," Fixer said.

Echo turned around and prepared to plug into the interface.

* * *

Back on the command bridge, Admiral Trench was still studying the map of Anexes before him. He was also contemplating the new information that the tactical droid gave him earlier.

"Contact Skako Minor," Trench said as he stood from his chair and stood in the middle of the command bridge. "I want to use the algorithm to calculate the best possible counter-attack".

"By your command," the tactical droid acknowledged.

* * *

Fixer and Echo were back inside the comm vault, while everyone else held fast outside.

Echo plugged into the conduit's interface. He suddenly felt a jolt, which was followed by an onrush of data and information. The sensation felt like having a bucket of ice water being poured onto his brain. His eyes were wide open as he stared off into space for a moment.

"Alright, I have access to everything. And good timing," Echo said as he held his head. "I just scanned a strategy request Trench sent to the Techno Union".

Before he could acton it. Fixer held up his hand.

"Wait. Let me reroute your transmission, so that it looks like it's still coming from Skako Minor".

"Good thinking Sir," Echo said to Delta's second-in-command.

* * *

Back on the bridge, a battle droid handed the tactical droid a data pad. He took it and studied it before he walked over to where Trench was sitting.

"Here's the new strategy from Skako, Admiral," the droid said before he looked back at the data pad. " _Mobilize all troops on Anexes to the Assembly Complex. The Republic will not send reinforcements. They will put all of their faith in the Jedi_ ".

When the droid finished reading the report aloud, Trench stood up from his command chair and stopped in front of the holo-screen in front of him.

He then chuckled to himself before he clasped to of his hands behind his back.

"Give the order!"

* * *

"I'm intercepting a transmission!" Fixer said before he looked at Rex, Anakin, and Boss. "Trench is ordering all of his ground forces to the Assembly complex".

Everyone looked at each other in horror.

"Oh that's not good," Boss said as he shook his head.

"No, it's perfect," a smiling Echo said before he turned around. "It's what I told them to do".

"But Mace and Obi-Wan will be vastly outnumbered," Rex objected.

"Not when I send a feedback pulse that shuts down all of the droids in the area," Echo said casually.

Rex punched Echo on the shoulder. Everyone smiled.

"Heh heh heh! Good job Echo," Rex complimented.

Anakin, who's bee standing completely silent with his arms cross, cracked a smile before he walked off and activated his comm-link.

"Master Windu! It's about to get a little more crowded where you are".

" _We have our hands full as it is!_ " Mace exclaimed. " _What is your plan?_ "

"Echo's drawing all of the droids to your position so that he can neutralize them all at the same time," Anakin said as he turned to look at Echo, who was holding his head, as if communicating with the computer.

" _It's hard to imagine more droids here than there already are._ "

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Assembly Complex. Anexes_.

Back on the surface, Republic and Separatist forces were fighting tooth and nail for control of the Production facility.

Clone Troopers from three different legions were holding their positions. They stood on top of loading containers and rained down blaster fire on the endless waves of advancing droids.

Clone Jet Troopers and B1-A air Battle droids were flying back and forth in a vicious dogfight that was taking place in the interior of the facility.

Explosions ripped through the containers, taking out droids and clones alike.

Mace Windu was still on top of one of the containers, deflecting laser bolts with his purple saber as he directed his troopers.

He turned to see that Obi-Wan was behind him on the floor of the facility, between the crates. He and Cody, and their men from the 212th, were creating a bottleneck that the droid were forced to move through, at a high cost.

"Obi-Wan!" Mace called out. "Skywalker just contacted me. He said that we've got more droids headed our way".

As Obi-Wan's men pushed the droids back and moved to secure the corner, he turned to speak to Mace.

"I see Anakin is being as insightful as ever!" He called out sarcastically.

"I was told not to worry," Mace called back. "I was all part of their plan".

"Now that sounds like Anakin," Obi-Wan joked.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Trench's flagship. In orbit above Anexes_.

Admiral Trench sat back in his command chair as he watched the show. On the screens in front of him, he could see column after column of battle droids entering the facility in an attempt to surround, cut off, and exterminate the Republic aggressors.

"The droids are going to overrun the Jedi," Trench said, as he witnessed hundreds of B1 units entering the facility. "They don't stand a chance".

The arachnid cyborg chuckled to himself in triumph.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Assembly Complex, Anexes_.

A B1-A battle droids was making a strafing run on the surrounded Republic forces.

But before it could make it's attack run, Clone Marshal Commander Cody used his jet back to fly through the air with the rest of the Jet troopers. He landed on the back of the flying droid and unleashed a hail of blaster bolts into the droids rocket thrusters. It began to lose altitude. He jumped off just as it crashed into a Squad of dwarf spider droids on the ground.

Cody then joined Mace, Obi-Wan, and the rest of his brothers, who were in a circle that was being surrounded by droids.

Even though they were surrounded, there were only a few remaining droids. The clones gunned down many of them, while the Jedi chopped up what was left.

When they were done, the gray metal floor was covered in tan metal droids. The Jed and their remaining Clones were now in control of the facility.

"Well," Obi-Wan said as he looked around at their handy work. "That wasn't as many as I thought there was going to be".

But sense fate liked to shove it's middle finger in Obi-Wan's bearded face, A door that led into the facility opened to reveal a massive column of Battle droids. The Jedi and their troopers looked at the droids in horror.

That's when another door opened to reveal another massive column of droids.'

And another.

And then finally ... another.

Each column was about 5 droids wide, and about 30 Hutt-loads deep.

The remnants of the Republic strike team circled up to face the oncoming onslaught.

The Jedi stood back to back.

"Does this meet your expectations?" Mace asked.

"Uhhhm ... this exceeds my expectations," Obi-Wan said.

The sea of battle droids and the rhythm of clanking battle droids filled the facility, and it looked like the Jedi weren't making it out of this one.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Comm vault, Separatist dreadnought_.

Back on the dreadnought, the squad was gathered around Echo.

"Do it now Echo!" Anakin ordered somewhat frantically. "Shut them down!" As Echo continued working on the conduit, a wave on energy travelled up the reactor. It sent a signal to the surface that caused every droid on the surface to shut down.

* * *

_Back on the surface, Obi-Wan, Mace, and their men, watched as every droid in the facility began to short circuit and shut down._

_While still maintaining their fighting stances, the Jedi and clones watched as the droids fell apart and collapsed without so much of a fight._

_"Hey-!"_

_"I'm shutting dowwwwwnnnn"._

_"Awaiting ordeeeerrrrrrrs"._

_"AAAAeeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhhhhh"._

_The droids continued to fall on top of each other until there were no droids left to challenge the Jedi or their men._

* * *

On the bridge, Admiral Trench nearly fell forward out of his seat and looked in horror at the screen in front of him. The Jedi and their men stood over an entire army of deactivated droids. Trench swiftly turned to face the tactical droid.

"What..." Trench asked as he pointed back at the screen. "...was that?"

"We monitored a powerful energy surge..." the tactical droid explained, while pointing at the screen. "...Which has overloaded the droid circuitry". Trench turned back to watch the footage of his army shutting down on replay. "We're tracking the origin of this pulse now," the tactical droid finished as he turned back to study one of the monitors that a battle droid was looking at.

Trench continued studying the footage. He then lowered his head in thought. "The algorithm has never been wrong before. How could we have missed this?" Trench asked, looking back at his tactical droid.

"The source originated on this ship".

"Dispatch security droids. Find out exactly..." Trench said pointing his cane at the tactical droid. "...where on this ship the pulse came from".

The droid seemed confused.

"But what about our apparent defeat on Anexes?"

Trench turned around and chuckled as he walked back over to the screen.

"A wise leader does not rely completely on things such as algorithms," Trench said. "My personal strategy for victory ... is through total annihilation".

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Comm vault, Trench's dreadnought_.

" _I am pleased to report that we're in complete control of the Assembly complex,"_ Windu said from Anakin's comm-link _. "And all other fronts are falling to the Republic. All thanks Echo's plan_ ".

Anakin smiled and looked at the rest of the team.

"That's good news Master Windu," Anakin said. "We're on our way back to base".

" _May the force be with you,_ " Windu said.

Anakin looked around to his men. Boss, Sev, and Scorch were still standing guard outside of the vault, while Rex, Fixer, and Echo were just about to pack up and get moving.

_"Alright, let's get moving! We leave the way we came in: under the radar"._

Just when the clones were just about to pack up and go home, Echo stopped them.

"Wait! I'm picking up a new order from Trench. "He's ... initiating some kind of countdown".

"For what?" Anakin asked.

"A bomb," Echo said, catching everybody completely off guard. "It's hidden in the assembly complex. And it's big enough to destroy most of Anexes".

"Can you defuse it?" Anakin asked.

Echo looked back and forth between Anakin and the terminal with an unsure look on his face.

"Well, I can try sir".

Anakin began to rush out of the vault and down the corridor.

"General! Where are you going?" Rex asked.

"If you can't stop the detonation, then perhaps Trench can," Anakin said as he continued to rush down the corridor.

"Wait, sir!" One of the commandoes called out. Anakin stopped to see that it was Sev. "When you get onto the bridge," he said, tossing an audio chip over to Anakin, who caught it, "be sure to plug that in, and activate the Ship's loudspeakers when you do."

Anakin was confused. But then he nodded in affirmation before running back in the direction of the bridge.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Assembly Complex, on the surface of Anexes_.

Back on the surface, the battle for Anexes was seemingly over. The production facility was back under Republic control, and because of that, they could launch a renewed offensive into the Outer rim.

But first, the Republic had to tie up loose ends on the surface.

All across the assembly complex's grounds, dead droids littered the floor. But their were also clones, both dead and injured, lying amongst the droid corpses. As medics came in with stretchers to evacuate the wounded, more clones combed through the piles of droid bodies to look for surviving clones. Clones knelt down next to their brothers for signs of life. But whether they were dead or alive, no one was going to be left behind.

Obi-wan and Mace were directing the available clones.

"Cody, I want you and Ponds to take your men and secure the facility, while Appo and Jesse continue to sweep the facility for survivors".

Each clone officer nodded before they went to join their respective units.

As the clones walked off, Mace's wrist comm chirped. He lifted the device to chest level so that he could speak into it.

"This is Mace Windu. Report!"

" _General Windu, this is Delta Squadron Advisor, 01/425. We've discovered a bomb in the assembly complex's fusion reactor!"_ The advisor said, causing everyone around the Jedi to be alarmed. _"We need someone to go down there and help defuse it_ ".

"I'm on my way," Windu said.

The Jedi master rushed towards the elevator in the middle of the ground floor. He vaulted over it's railing and boarded the lift. Before he activated the lift, he turned to Obi-Wan and the clones. "Get the men out of here!" He said before he used the force to flip a switch, causing the elevator to descend to the lower levels.

Obi-Wan turned to the clones that were gathered around him.

"You heard General Windu. Organize your platoons and have them evacuate as soon as possible".

"SIR YES SIR!" The clones sounded off in unison before they rushed off to gather the other clones scattered across the facility.

* * *

The lift carrying General Windu continued to descend.

Mace looks behind him to see that he was being carried down to a massive chamber, which housed a massive fusion reactor. It was made of two conduits, one on the ceiling and one on the floor, that were joined by a wave of energy. It was an incredible sight.

Windu's lift eventually came to a complete stop on a platform that was about three stories high. When the lift's gate opened up Mace decided to rush off of the lift and vault over the railing, rather than taking the stairs. He landed on a catwalk that led to the base of the reactor. Mace then began to run around the reactor chamber, searching high and low, while checking every nook and cranny, trying to look for a planet-busting bomb.

He ran around the reactor along the railing, until a large object out the corner of his eye forced him to stop. Mace force jumped down there to get a closer look at the device in question.

It looked like a large power generator.

Mace Windu slowly walked up to the bomb. It looked like a large power generator. Upon closer inspection, the Jedi Council member noticed that there was a terminal in front of it. When he was close enough, he reached out to touch the terminal. But that's when an energy field appeared out of no where. Windu, recoiled in alarm and jumped back a little. That's when he noticed that it was a red transparent bubble shield that had been activated to block him off.

"A ray shield," he said to him self. That's when he turned his back to the bomb and activated his com-link. "Delta Advisor. I found the bomb. Tell me the sequence to shut it down".

* * *

Back in the comm vault on Trench's flagship, Echo and Fixer continued to inspect the computers, trying to dig up anything mentioning a large bomb. While Rex and the other commandoes stood guard outside.

" _Echo's decrypting it now Sir,_ " Delta's advisor said over the squad's comm. He was back inside the shuttle, providing tactical information to the commandoes, and providing a link between the Squad and the outside world.

Echo was still plugged into the computer.

"The first number in the sequence is..." Echo said before pausing, double-checking what the computer was telling him. "...one".

* * *

" _Did you get that General_?" Delta's advisor said.

Mace turned towards the bomb. "I did. Stand by".

He gently reached out with the force and concentrated on one of the switches on the terminal. When he flipped all the way to the left, a red light beneath it turned green, indicating that it was the correct number.

" _The next is...three_ ," Echo said through the Advisor's comm signal.

Windu reached out again, flipping the switch that was third from the right.

" _Now eight_ ," Echo said.

As Echo continued to feed Windu the sequence, he continued to flip switches with the force. But he had to do it quickly. The Separatists were getting closer and closer to solving the problem that they faced.

* * *

Back on the bridge of Trench's flagship, Battle droids continued to scan the ship for signs f the pulse that knocked out the droid army on the surface. One battle droid, who was manning a terminal on the bridge, turned to face Trench and his super tactical droid.

"Sirs. We have located the source of the signal".

As the B1 unit said this, the tactical droid walked over to check it out.

* * *

Windu continued to put in the code sequence that Echo was providing.

"Seven," Echo said over the comm.

The Jedi master flipped another switch.

The row of red lights were now mostly green. All he needed to do was flip another couple of switches correctly.

* * *

"Jam the signal at its source," the tactical droid ordered.

"Roger Roger," the droid acknowledged before he pressed a button on the terminal in front of him.

* * *

Back in the comm vault, Echo kept getting information from the computer that he was communicating with. But just as he gave another sequence number to the Advisor to transmit to Windu, a wave of energy came down from the ceiling, and travelled down the conduit until it enveloped Echo.

"AAAHHHH!" Echo screamed.

The squad was caught off guard and alarmed when they saw Echo convulsing and screaming. Reacting quickly, Rex swiftly pulled Echo away from the interface that he was plugged into. It worked. Echo stopped writhing. But the smoking trooper was totally unconscious.

" _Echo? Echo! Echo come in. What is the last sequence?_ " The Advisor asked over the comm. " _Deltas, what's Echo's status?_ "

"The server overloaded his neural system. The Separatists would've had to do it. That means Trench knows where we are," Fixer said.

"Advisor. It looks like the Seps know we're here," Three-eight said into the comm, responding to the advisor. "They've taken out Echo. He's breathing, but unconscious". Suddenly, the troopers could hear the sounds of blaster fire being heard outside in the corridor. "And that doesn't appear to be the only problem," Boss said as he saw Scorch rushing to help Sev out in the corridor.

"We got a droid situation boss!" Scorch yelled as he enterer the corridor, where Sev was using his sniper rifle to fire on a column of approaching SBDs.

The two commandoes fired back, taking down the from pair of SBDs. But as those two droids fell, the rest merely stepped over their fallen comrades carelessly, firing their heavy arm blasters as they did so.

" _Don't worry about me Captain_ ," Windu said through the Advisor's comm signal. " _Just get your men out of there_ ".

"Yes Sir," Rex answered back before he pulled Echo to his feet, propping him up on his shoulder. As Rex helped his old friend out of the vault, Boss and Fixer rushed ahead of them to help their teammates in the corridor.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Trench's flagship, command deck_.

Thanks to hidden holo-devices, Admiral Trench had eyes everywhere on Anexes. He could see clones mopping up the last of the droid resistance, and he could even see their wounded being carted off to some distant location. But he narrowed down one of the images. The image was that of Mace Windu standing aimlessly in front of a red bubble shield. The one that covered the bomb that he planned to detonate on Anexes.

"The Jedi lacks the final sequences to stop the detonation," Trench said as he looked at a display of the Assembly complex on the surface. "The loss of their clone army and the shipyards, will grind the Republic's invasion in the Outer Rim to a halt, thus destroying their will to fight, and any hope for a potential victory". He then got up and started pacing around the bridge with his tactical droid. "Dispatch more droids to deal with the infiltrators on the ship. And prepare our landing craft for our next assault".

"As you command," Trench's super tactical droid said.

As they walked passed the door to the bridge, it opened with a hiss, revealing a very pissed off Jedi who had his arms crossed.

"Huh!?" Trench recoiled in shock and confusion.

The droid turned to see what his admiral was alarmed by. That's when Anakin ignited his lightsaber and slashed it across the screaming droid's metal torso. The 'Hero with no Fear' then assumed an aggressive fighting stance, making ready to dash and slash his way into the fight.

Trench took several steps back until he bumped into the back of his command chair.

"Jedi Scum!" Trench exclaimed as a pair of commando droids rushed up to either side of Trench, pointing their rifle at Anakin. The two droids began to fire on the Jedi, but he merely deflected the rounds, letting the laser bolts bounce off of the blade and into several different parts of the bridge. That's when Anakin used the force to lift up one droid and throw it away. The droid flew over the heads of several droid crew members and hit the reinforced viewport that separated the bridge from the crushing vacuum of space.

The other droid charged at Anakin as that happened. Anakin slashed his blade to the side, but the remaining commando droid jumped to avoid the blade and arched over the Jedi. It then turned around and made a threatening pose in front of Anakin.

When the Jedi seemed distracted, Trench raised one of his three robot arms at Anakin. An electro net shot out of one of his hands and flew straight at Anakin. But the Jedi Knight jumped up to avoid the net, which instead pinned the droid to the bulkhead door, and short-circuited it. Anakin landed in front of Trench and put his sword across Trench's throat. The arachnid admiral leaned back to get away from the sword.

"Tell me the sequence to disarm the bomb!" Anakin ordered.

"Never," Trench said. "Dooku would kill me for losing Anexes".

"And you think I won't?" Anakin threatened.

"You're a Jedi," Trench said in a somewhat mocking tone. "Your nobility is a weakness".

For a few seconds, Anakin scowled at Trench. But then he raised his blade and used it to slice off all three of Trench's robotic left arms.

"GAH!" Trench exclaimed as he lost his artificial appendages.

"I don't have such weaknesses!" Anakin spat out as he pointed his lightsaber at Trench's throat. "Now let's try that again".

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Assembly Complex, Anexes_.

Back on the surface, on the roof of the assembly complex, Republic gunships and light frigates were landing and taking off around the clock, shuttling Clone troopers away from the danger zone that the entire planet now inhabited.

Obi-Wan was directing the evacuation. As Commander Cody and troopers from his 212th Attack Battalion boarded their gunship, Obi-Wan reached for his com-link and spoke into it.

"Mace, if you cannot stop the detonation, you must leave now!"

* * *

At the site of where the bomb was, Mace spoke into his communicator.

"That is not an option. I still have a chance to stop this. Even if it's down to my best guess," Mace said as he looked back at the bomb, who's last key seemed to mock him defiantly.

" _How 'bout I take the guess work out of it master?_ " Said a new voice.

It was Anakin, who still held his blade to Trench's throat.

" _Admiral Trench was kind enough to give me the final sequence himself,_ " Anakin said. " _Try seven_ ".

Mace got off of his com-link and closed his eyes as he reached out with the force again, concentrating on the final switch. It shifted down until the red light blinked green. When it did, the ray shield disappeared and everything on the bomb shut off.

Windu raised his wrist to speak into his com unit.

"Good work Skywalker. The bomb has been disarmed".

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Trench's flagship. Bridge_.

"You both owe me one now," Anakin said to his Jedi companions.

However, unbeknownst to the young Jedi, his cyborg/arachnid hostage was reaching for his cane. Trench tapped it against the deck and its top began to crackle with electricity. Before Anakin could turn to face Trench, the Admiral used one of his three remaining arms (his flesh ones) to push Anakin's bladed hand away and then jabbed his electric cane into Anakin's side, causing electricity to course through Anakin.

Anakin groaned in pain as energy enveloped him. Trench was about to go and kill Anakin when the Jedi leaned back, and thrust his saber into Trench's torso. The blade cut right through Trench's vital organs and passed right through the back of the command chair behind them.

Trench was shocked. He looked up at the ceiling and was in deep pain. When Anakin withdrew his blade, Trench was hunched over, with one of his hands over the open wound. He was fighting just to stay on his feet. But his life-force was slowly draining.

As Trench struggled to stand, Anakin walked over to one of the terminals and tapped his fingers against the buttons. That's when a cylindrical device popped out of the arm of Trench's command chair with a hiss. Anakin walked over and picked up the device to examine it. It was a metal cylinder with a red button.

A detonator.

"Hmpf, Scorch is gonna love this," Anakin said before he placed the detonator on his belt. Then he walked over to the ship's comm terminal and plugged in the audio chip that Sev gave him. When he pressed a button, a series of chants and drumbeats began to play. He shook his head in amusement when he realized that Sev wanted to play an iconic Mandalorian chant that was popular in the Clone Army, which started to blast away in the corridors of the ship Anakin began to run out of the bridge. As he ran out, he passed Trench. He gave him a mock salute as he ran out. "Admiral. It's been a pleasure," Anakin said as Trench collapsed to the deck when his strength left him.

But with one last gasp for life, his arms twitched involuntarily before he stopped moving for the last time.

* * *

The song that the commandoes wanted Anakin to play was called _'Vode On_ ', which translated to ' _Brothers All!_ '

The chant was sung in Mando'a by the clone troopers with the accompaniment of drums and horns.

_Kote!_  
_Kandosii sa ka'rta, Vode an._  
_Coruscanta a'den mhi, Vode an._  
_Bal kote, darasuum kote,_  
_Jorso'ran kando a tome._  
_Sa kyr'am nau tracyn kad, Vode an._  
_Kandosii sa ka'rta, Vode an._  
_Coruscanta a'den mhi, Vode an._  
_Bal..._  
_Motir ca'tra nau tracinya._  
_Gra'tua cuun hett su dralshy'a._  
_Aruetyc talyc runi'la solus cet o'r._  
_Motir ca'tra nau tracinya._  
_Gra'tua cuun hett su dralshy'a._  
_Aruetyc talyc runi'la trattok'o.  
_ _Sa kyr'am nau tracyn kad, Vode an!_

_Translation:_

_Glory!_  
_One indomitable heart, Brothers all._  
_We, the wrath of Coruscant, Brothers all._  
_And glory, eternal glory,_  
_We shall bear its weight together._  
_Forged like the saber in the fires of death, Brothers all._

_One indomitable heart, Brothers all._  
_We, the wrath of Coruscant, Brothers all._  
_And..._  
_Those who stand before us light the night sky in flame._  
_Our vengeance burns brighter still._  
_Every last traitorous soul shall kneel._  
_Those who stand before us light the night sky in flame._  
_Our vengeance burns brighter still._  
_Every last traitorous soul shall fall._  
_Forged like the saber in the fires of death, Brothers all!_

As the commandoes continued to fight, they were inspired even further by the sound of the Grand Army chanting for their glorious victory.

* * *

Deep in the ship's corridors, a squad of Battle droids were firing down a passageway. Red laser bolts made the inner halls glow red from their muzzle flashes. But then out of no where, a hail of blue laser bolts cut the droids down, ceasing their hostile actions.

When those droids were dead, a Squad of clones came out of the hall they were just firing down. Sev and Scorch were on point. Rex was behind them while carrying Echo. Boss and Fixer covered their rear. They continued to move down the hallway, killing any droid that got in their way.

"Hey Sev, how many kills have you got today psycho?" Scorch asked.

"More than you wise guy," Sev countered.

"Keep this comm clear you two!" Fixer ordered.

"Calm down Fixer, we're just having a little fun," Scorch said.

They kept moving down the hallway way when they came across an intersection. As soon as Scorch and Sev rounded a corner, they came face to face with a few dozen droids, who fired on them as soon as they rounded the corner.

"STANG!" Scorch exclaimed before he and Sev jumped back into cover.

The droids marched towards them, firing on the spot they last saw the clones before they disappeared behind cover.

Sev fired his rifle around the corner, trying to keep the enemy at bay, but to little avail.

"The way these droids are swarming, one might think we weren't welcome," Scorch said.

The rest of the squad caught up with them. Rex put Echo down and readied his weapons. He, Fixer, and Boss faced three different directions. All three of which had droids approaching their positions.

"We can't blast our way out!" Rex exclaimed. "There's too many of them!"

Boss looked at him. "Ya' think So?" He then turned to his men. "Sev, stay here and cover our rear. Fixer, Scorch, you're with me".

When Boss got up, Rex grabbed his wrist. "What are you doing?"

"We've got to to get off of this ship. So it's time to make a mess of our own," Boss said.

Fixer readied his wrist blades, while Boss grabbed his dual pistols, and Scorch got ready to burst out of cover. Sev faced the rear and began firing on any droid that he saw coming from the direction he was facing.

"NOW!" Boss exclaimed.

Boss, Fixer, and Scorch burst out of cover and began blasting and hacking away at any droid that was in their way. Fixer slammed one droid against a set of pipes and punched it so hard, that his wrist blade went into the pipe. Steam and oil sprayed everywhere. It got into the droids faces and the commandoes faces. But the droids didn't have equipment that wiped their eyes.

"My eyes!"

"I can't see!"

As steam filled up the hallway, the three commandoes charged into the steam and began ripping the droids apart. The white smoke was illuminated with blue laser flashes from the end of the hall, which was filled with the screams of dying droids.

Rex watched with amazement.

"Ya' know, I honestly feel bad for those droids".

"With all due respect sir..." Sev said as he killed another droid from the rear with his blaster rifle. "...don't".

Fixer and Scorch continued to hack away at the droids. Scorch threw a grenade that blasted the droids in several directions. One droid corpse flew right into Boss's arms, and he began to use it as a human shield as he charged down the hall, while his squad fired around him. When they got to the end of the hall, Boss threw the droid against another droid, pinning him against the bulkhead.

All three commandoes checked the hallways on either side of them.

Fixer turned back and shouted. "All clear!"

One droid was still on the ground, shaking nervously.

"If-if you surrender p-pe-peacefully..." the droid said nervously. "...It w-will b-b-be noted in my report".

The droid screamed when Boss kicked his heel into the droid's face, causing its head to crumple. "Heh. I'm gonna need more ammo if there are any more where these came from," Boss said, referring to the droids and his low ammo reserves.

Back at the other end of the hall, Sev and Rex were about to move Echo down the hall. That's when Sev could hear more clanking foot steps from behind. He saw a massive single-file column of battle droids heading his way. "More droids!" He exclaimed. "Go, I'll buy you some time!"

Rex nodded and hastily carried an unconscious Echo down the hall.

Sev turned back to face the oncoming droid hordes. He fired his blaster rifle at the droids. "Die you metal-head piece of trash!" Sev growled as he killed more droids that marched towards him.

When Sev noticed that the squad was a safe distance away, he began to fall back. He rushed down the hall and began throwing small devices, on the walls on either side of the hall. The devices stuck to the walls, and he kept throwing them as he rushed to meet up with the rest of the team.

"Come and get me clankers".

* * *

The rest of the squad rallied near the infiltration point, where the shuttle should've been.

"Advisor," Boss said into his com-link. "We've reached the exfiltration point. Where are you?"

"Right here. _Stand by Delta lead_ ," Advisor said.

"I'm picking up dozens of droids on my scanner," Fixer said. "And their all heading towards us".

Suddenly, Anakin Skywalker rounded a corner and began to rush down the hall towards the squad. "Hope you're not waiting on me," Anakin said lightheartedly.

"Now all we're missing is Sev," Rex said.

Everyone heard the sounds of boots clanging against the deck. They looked in the direction of the noise to see Sev jogging towards them. They noticed that he was throwing some strange sticky objects on the walls on either side of him.

He ran up right in front of them. "You missed me?" Sev asked. "I'm touched".

Scorch looked at the devices he saw Sev throwing on the bulkheads, and noticed that they looked like small explosive charges.

"Hey lead..." Scorch said to Boss. "...are you sure you want 'Mister Death-wish' handling explosives?"

"Humpf!" Sev grunted. "Watch and learn".

As droids began to pour out of both hallways and funnel towards the team, Sev switched to his sniper mod and sighted up on one of the devices. When the droids were close enough, Sev squeezed off a shot. The shot went straight and true. It hit the red light of the first device like a bullseye. But instead of an explosion like Scorch (and most others) was expecting, the shot reflected off of the device. It bounced off of the way and cut through the droid column from the side. It then shot into another device.

And another. And another. And another.

The devices Sev laid out were actually magnetic deflectors of some kinds. They bounced off of each other and attracted the shot that Sev fired. And that same shot kept bouncing through the corridor, killing every droid that was unlucky enough to be in the spot, which was most of them.

When every droid pursuing them was destroyed, the team decided to get on board the shuttle. Except for Scorch, who looked at the dozens of dead droids that were strewn across the deck in disbelief. All of this from some magnate and one blaster bolt.

Boss put his hand on Scorch's shoulder. "Don't worry Scorch," Boss said reassuringly. "You'll top him next time".

"No he won't," Sev said as he walked passed Scorch.

Scorch lowered his head and slumped his shoulders as he walked back to the ship, in total grief.

* * *

When the squad was back on the shuttle, the ship detached from the lower hull. It blasted away from the Separatist fleet and rocketed towards the planet's surface. Anakin then remembered the detonator he got from Trench's command chair. "Hey Scorch ... I've got a present for you," Anakin said, presenting him with the detonator.

Scorch looked at the device in Anakin's hand and recoiled in surprise. "Wait! Seriously? I get to blow it up? The whole bloody thing?!"

Anakin nodded with a smile on his face. The elated, and explosive happy, commando reached for the device in Anakin's palm and grabbed. The whole team smiled. But Sev just shook his head, realizing that his kill count was about to be blown out of the water.

Scorch looked at the other team members. It was like a child getting a birthday present that he's always wanted.

"This...is the happiest day...of my life," Scorch said between excited breaths. And then he pressed the button.

* * *

Behind the shuttle, the Separatist Dreadnought was just sitting there, before a flash of light emitted from its center. The flash turned out to be a powerful explosion, which expanded outwards into a shockwave that overtook the entire fleet. The shockwave ripped apart every supply ship, frigate, destroyer, and cruiser in the fleet, causing secondary explosions to rip apart what was left.

The Republic infiltration team's shuttle was just able to enter the atmosphere and escape the shockwave.

The fireworks display could be seen for hundreds of miles across the surface of Anexes. Clone Troopers raised their fists into the air to cheer at the sight before them.

If there was one thing that was clear about these explosions, it was that the Republic has emerged victorious.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Fort Anexes_.

Back at Fort Anexes, hundreds of Clone troopers, officers, pilots, medics, and technicians, were gathered out on the airfield. Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Commander Cody were facing them from underneath the CIC. The gathered clones all stood at attention as Jedi General Mace Windu addressed a handpicked group of heroes.

"Captain Rex, Corporal Echo, and members of Spec ops unit Delta, you've all done a great service for the Republic. Thanks to your courage and ingenuity..." Windu said as Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Cody stepped towards the six clones. "...we have reclaimed Anexes".

The three of them pinned silver medals with red ribbons onto the chest of each of the six clone heroes.

"With our shipyards operational again..." Windu continued. "...we can expect more victories on all battlefronts across the galaxy".

That's when Arc trooper Jesse from the 501st shouted out, "Let's hear it for Echo and Delta Squad!"

Every clone that was gathered cheered, whistled, and sang their praise for the heroes of Anexes.

"I knew we could do it boys!"

"YEAH!"

"I bet they could win the war themselves!"

"WOOOHOOO!"

Rex, Echo, and the Deltas all drank in the sight of their fellow brothers cheering for them.

Because of men like Rex, Echo, and Delta Squad going above and beyond the call of duty, the regular clones would be inspired to do the same. This reinvigorated morale would carry the Clone Army the rest of the way through many battles such as this.

Perhaps even the war.

No amount of droids in the galaxy will ever be able to defeat or bury this new spirit.

**The End.**

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well folks, that's the forth and final part of this story. I actually had fun making this. 
> 
> So I hope that you'll take time to read that story as well, and please feel free to leave your thoughts in the review section.
> 
> Once again, this is Grubkiller, over and out.

**Author's Note:**

> Well folks. That was part 1. The rest of the story will focus on the rest of the Bad batch arc, but with Delta Squad instead of the bad batch. I like the bad batch. But I love Delta squad better, and I think that they should've been used in this particular arc.
> 
> Waisted potential Disney. Waisted potential.
> 
> Anyway, until next time, this is Grubkiller, over and out.


End file.
